


Place Your Bet

by alcrevier



Category: Pretty Little Liars
Genre: F/F, Stupid Decisions Galore (SDG)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-09-28 12:47:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 172,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10101440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alcrevier/pseuds/alcrevier
Summary: [AU] After drifting apart during high school, Emily and Alison reluctantly re-meet and drunkenly get themselves into a sticky situation six years later. Too defiant to fix what happened, the two girls fight to gain the upper hand as they fall into a game of “let’s see who submits first” ━ that is… until old feelings catch up to them. [Loosely based on: “What Happens in Vegas”].





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, you asked for something less angsty (and so did my heart, honestly), so here we are.
> 
> In total, you'll be reading 154.6K+ words ━ that is, if you stay with me through these twenty chapters (and an epilogue).
> 
> This first chapter is mostly serving as an introduction for what's to come, so it might be kinda calm and/or quiet. Trust me (and I'm extremely confident in this statement), I won't let you down and it's going to speed & heat up very, very quickly. This story has probably become my favorite out of all of my multi-chapters and that's saying something because I'm seriously proud of how both "Tattooed Memories & Hidden Stories" and "January of 2011" came out. Overall, this fic feels most like a blend of "A Rosewood Blizzard" and TM&HS, so, if you enjoyed those individually, then you'll probably love this one.
> 
> A reminder, as per usual: This story's rated E, so tread carefully.  
> As a second reminder, (again) as per usual: There's a really-fkn-long author's note below, so my apologies for my enjoyment in constant typing.
> 
> So (and I'll say this every time I post a new story), without further ado, happy reading!

Emily exhales heavily as she slides out of the cab, staring up at the huge hotel in front of her backed by a light, sun-setting sky, though it’s hard to see when she’s nearly blinded by various neon signs and flashing banners. She hears distant sounds being made by slot machines even though they’re mostly drown out by the various pedestrians walking along the sidewalk in front of the building. The structure is extensive, really, and her eyes travel along the wall of the hotel and joint casino as she stands on the pavement, slightly biting the inside of her cheek because she’s  _ nervous _ ; the girl hasn’t exactly been out of Baltimore for quite some time, never mind on the complete opposite side of the country.

Before she can take another breath, Spencer and Aria walk up beside her, both whispering a soft “Woah” after having gathered their own bags from the vehicle with an assortment of huffs and groans. The three girls continue staring at the building ━ albeit Emily is the only nervous one ━ until the two standing on each side of the tanned girl simply… walk away. Within seconds, she’s blinking hard and following the two that make mindless conversation as they pass through a pair of glass doors.

The place is beautiful, that’s for sure, and the three brunettes’ eyes widen as they step onto slabs of marble that lead further into the hotel’s lobby. People smile at them as they pass, likely used to seeing tourists “take in the view” repeatedly. Emily looks around, noting the golden fixtures, overall white decor, and the room’s clean yet  _ expensive  _ scent mixed in with a hint of smoke. The clacking of women’s shoes can be heard crossing the floor as Emily looks downwards, glancing at her reflection until she straightens her back.

“I’m going to go check us in,” Spencer turns to the other two. “Can you watch my stuff?”

“Of course,” Aria says at the same time that Emily hums.

As the other girl walks away, Aria turns to the lone brunette beside her, “Hey, are you okay? You’ve been quiet.”

“Mhm,” Emily tries to sound convincing but clearly falls flat when the girl in front of her flashes a pair of “don’t bullshit me” eyes.

She sighs, “I’m just… I don’t know,” and shakes her head, “nervous, I guess.”

“Em, we came here to relax,” the girl tries to provide comfort with a convincing smile, “ _ and _ to have some fun.”

“In case you’ve forgotten, I’m not exactly the relaxing or fun type.”

“You’re loads of fun once you let yourself enjoy things,” Aria laughs. “Don’t even try that.”

Before Emily can answer, Spencer walks over with three keycards in hand, smiling big at the two girls in front of her.

“A suite?” Emily arches an eyebrow at Spencer, an impressed grin plastered across her face.

“Yup. Money is one of the only perks of dealing with your parents’ political asses,” she snorts, afterwards picking up her bags and lugging them across the room with her best friends in tow.

As they walk, Emily continues to nod impressively at the overall aesthetic of the hotel, noting a couple of entrances behind the front desk that likely lead to one of the main casinos. She hears Spencer humming as they walk and, judging by the way Aria has been silent just as much as Emily has been, the smaller brunette is also studying the building. They turn another corner while walking along a soft-carpeted hallway, eventually coming face to face with sliding metal doors to bring them upwards. As they wait, Spencer’s humming comes to a halt and she looks back at the two with raised eyebrows, afterwards laughing when they both make impressed faces at her, in return. Soon, they hear a chime and the doors slide open. Surprisingly, no one has to shimmy out of the box before the girls step into it, quickly bringing their bags into the space as they wait for the doors to close.

Emily leans against the metal wall, tilting her head upwards as she stares at the mirrored ceiling. Truly, she doesn’t want to be this nervous; the girl genuinely wants to “relax” and “have fun,” but it’s not like those two things have come easy, as of late. Technically, they haven’t happened much at all. Day in and day out, the brunette simply goes about her life on a constant loop: occasional work, occasional workout, and constant fucking around with someone that she’s never really gotten to know other than what she likes in bed.

Actually, Emily’s  _ so unattached  _ to Sabrina that she’s never even told the two brunettes now walking in front of her about the girl she’s been “seeing” on and off for at least two months. It’s not that Sabrina’s a bad person or solely a “sleeping around” kind of person, but the brunette has never really given her a chance to be a decent girlfriend; the problem isn’t with Sabrina and Emily  _ knows  _ that, which is why she’s so closed off. Nevertheless, the brunette continues flowing with this never-ending pattern of stress and boredom, hoping that, someday, an adventure just… slaps her right in the face ━ or kisses her on the lips. It’s happened before ━ or  _ many  _ times ━ but nothing has ever stuck, leading to her constant, “I want to stay home today” type of attitude ━ until Spencer and Aria had enough of that.

_ “You’re going away?” Emily questions as she sits on the couch in her living room, the TV now being blocked by two other brunettes who have their arms crossed, pointed looks cascaded upon their features. “And why are you looking at me like that?” _

_ “Because we’re going away,” Aria puts emphasis on “we’re” because, for whatever reason, the girl sitting on the couch doesn’t seem to get it. _

_ “What?” she shakes her head. “I have━” _

_ “Nothing to do,” Spencer interrupts. “It’s summertime, it’s not swimming season right now, and you barely have to be on campus, anyway. We’re not going without you, and we’re definitely going, therefore you’re going.” _

_ “Spencer’s right,” Aria nods her head. “We barely see you anymore and that bothers me because we know that you’re home most of the time. You’re coming.” _

_ “Guys, I don’t know,” Emily leans forward and hangs her head as her elbows dig into her knees. _

_ “It’s just for three nights, Em,” Spencer tries again. “I got us a great deal, okay? Aria even called Mona and Hanna, and they’re going to meet up with us because they’ve been meaning to get away.” _

_ When Emily’s eyes shift to Aria, the shorter brunette flashes a cheeky, begging smile. In response, the girl sitting on the couch groans and leans back against the cushions, allowing her body to slump slightly as she stares at the ceiling above her. _

_ “Great, you’re coming,” Spencer speaks in a flat tone, leaving no room for further debate. _

The door in front of them makes a small chiming noise once Spencer slides her keycard through, allowing the three girls to pass over the suite’s threshold a second later. They step into the cool room, earning a shiver from Aria who makes some weird noise. Emily laughs at the sound, drawing a look from the shorter girl who moves further into the suite’s main space. As Emily follows, she studies the room and notes the kitchen that’s already stocked with a fridge of expensive drinks, a living room filled in with soft couches, and the three,  _ huge  _ windows staring her right in the face. The glass covers most of the wall in front of her, looking out and down toward the ground  _ many  _ floors below them. Emily makes a face at the height, more so because she’s not exactly fond of tall places to begin with, but this is just… a lot to take in. 

So, when Aria calls her name, it takes another few seconds before she faces the girl.

“Mona and Hanna just got here, too. They’re getting ready and then we’re all heading to dinner,” she informs and Emily’s heart begins to feel heavy as she nods while walking into the room she’ll be sharing with Aria.

It’s not that she’s upset about this entire meet-up with Hanna, someone who she’s barely seen since their core five split years prior, but she’s nervous because, well, she’s missed the blonde. On the other hand, before that rift opened up years ago, Hanna and Emily had actually…  _ experimented  _ at one point ━ but mostly Hanna since the brunette pretty much had everything figured out by then. Spencer and Aria never found out, nor did the other blonde of their group, but Emily would be lying if she said she’s not interested in seeing how they’d react if they knew ━  _ especially  _ Alison whom Emily had a huge crush on during most of high school. 

Unfortunately for Emily, Alison knew about that crush all too well and, in simple terms, used it for entertainment purposes. They kissed here and there, causing the brunette to fall into a deeper hole but, each time, the other girl broke off whatever-it-was and claimed,  _ “I’m straight, Emily.”  _ Once their little…  _ whatever-it-was _ ended, the tanned girl felt scorned and somewhat climbed back into her metaphorical shell but none of the others knew why. In fact, they never asked for an explanation and, once their group split with Alison taking Hanna and Mona “under her wing” while Aria and Spencer stuck by Emily’s side, most forgot about what happened during high school. Surprisingly, however, no resentment ever grew on either side of the split and the girls are able to stand one another perfectly fine. In fact, Aria has hung out with Mona, Hanna,  _ and  _ Alison a few times, courtesy of Mike and Mona’s solid, three-year relationship. 

Overall, Hanna’s grown into a bubbly, outspoken girl with a big heart, Mona became a stunning and quick-witted friend, Spencer’s identity went from “has to know everything” to “does know everything but has fun while doing so,” Aria’s perspective on life has become a lot more colorful and upbeat, and Alison overall matured over the years, coming a long way from her old, bitchy self and growing into someone who’s a lot more capable of understanding that she’s not royalty ━ or so Aria says.

But what about Emily? What about the girl who once felt swept under the rug by the blonde who “ran” (so to speak) their group of five before she trailed off with Hanna and Mona, an “outsider”? Well, that’s just it: the brunette has grown up and she’s certainly acquired a backbone and sharp tongue of her own but, every time Alison gets mentioned, she shuts down. Thankfully, when that happens, Spencer and Aria now know what’s going on, and they keep their distance from the subject as much as possible ━  _ unless  _ it’s about Alison coming to Vegas.

_ “So, um,” Aria shifts her eyes from Emily as she glances at Spencer, not exactly knowing how to bring up the topic, “there may be a slight issue with Vegas.” _

_ “There are a lot of issues with Vegas,” Emily speaks pointedly, already feeling annoyed because she doesn’t even want to go on this trip to begin with. _

_ “Well, this may be a big issue,” she wrings her hands together. _

_ “Or a monumental issue,” Spencer’s eyes widen as she looks at the smaller brunette, feeling just as annoyed because this was supposed to be a relaxing trip. _

_ “What is it?” Emily makes a face when Aria won’t spit out the information. _

_ “Mona said they’re trying to get Alison to go to Vegas with them,” the girl’s eyes stay focused on Emily, searching for some type of reaction that never really comes ━ aside from the tanned girl looking away and breathing out. _

_ “Is that it?” Emily’s voice is somewhat sharp. _

_ “We don’t know if she’s really going yet, though,” Aria backtracks. _

_ “I don’t think she will,” Spencer shrugs, “but we wanted to tell you, just in case.” _

_ Emily raises her eyebrows and makes a curt humming noise, earning a pair of slightly sympathetic looks. _

She doesn’t  _ want  _ to be this petty, that’s truly not it, but it still stings when she thinks about what happened years ago. Her heart felt so much for this girl who held the information above her head like a bone and that  _ hurts _ . So, every time the blonde is brought up, Emily’s stomach twists repeatedly and she feels sick, but she promises herself that she’s grown up now ━ both of them have.

Either way, neither Mona nor Hanna got a solid answer from Alison and, therefore, she didn’t join them on this “girl-cation” (as per Hanna’s text to Spencer). It’s probably for the best, Emily thinks, because the entire thought of Alison showing up makes her ten times more nervous. How would the blonde act around her? How would  _ she  _ act around Alison? How━ 

“Em,” Aria waves a hand in front of the girl’s face, breaking her out of her thoughts.

“Sorry,” she shakes her head, “tired.” 

“Well, wake up because we still have to get ready, eat dinner, and have some fun,” the girl finishes speaking with a blunt tone, a tiny smile tugging at the corner of her lips almost as if she’s saying “don’t you dare back out of tonight’s plans.”

Emily lets out a small laugh, afterwards groaning with an elongated “Okay” as she walks around the shorter girl, determined to unpack the rest of her things since she keeps getting lost in thought.

“You’re not unpacking now, are you?” Aria frowns as she stands in the same spot.

“I was going to,” her voice makes it sound obvious. “Why?”

“We’re supposed to be meeting the others in like…” she pulls out her phone to check the time, now reading 5:17 P.M., “thirty minutes, and you need to get ready because it’s Friday evening and it’s going to be  _ packed _ .”

“I don't need to do much in order to get ready. I'm not going all out tonight.”

“But I’m so excited and I don’t want to stay in here for longer than we have to,” the girl suddenly confesses with an obvious whine, earning a laugh from the other who continues to unpack.

Once Aria sees that she’s not going to stop unloading her multiple bags, she sighs and walks away with a soft “Fine, but you better be ready by the time we have to leave.”

Emily watches the other girl leave the room, afterwards turning back to her few bags. Technically, she didn’t pack that much. All in all, she threw in the basics, her normal hygiene products in moderation, and a couple of nice, dress-up outfits ━ including a revealing dress which she’s not even sure  _ why  _ she brought because it’s not like she’ll be comfortable while wearing it. So, as the brunette picks that specific, dressy item out of her bag, she quickly stores it in a nearby closet in hopes that Spencer and Aria don’t find it because, if they do, they’ll  _ definitely  _ make her wear it ━ no question. Once that’s finished, she walks back to her bags to see that they’re empty for the most part and a groan erupts in her throat because, frankly, she’s practically ready to leave which means they’re going to be woven within a fit of complicated and “spontaneous” plans any moment now.

Without stalling any longer, however, she picks out a nice outfit for dinner, ultimately choosing a thin, navy button-up to shrug over a white tank top, each partially covering the waistband of her tight yet comfortable leather pants. She finishes the outfit off with one of the pairs of boots that she had chosen for the trip. Before she walks out of the bedroom once her outfit is assembled, the brunette fixes her hair so it looks messy yet casual because she’ll be damned if she spends another hour doing her hair properly ━ not that Aria would really let her.

“What’s Toby doing while you’re away?” as Emily walks out of the room, she hears Aria talking to Spencer, both now adorned in cute, colorful dresses with hair fixed in different ways.

Aria plays with her earrings as she stands while facing Spencer, head tilted to the side.

“I’m not sure,” the girl shrugs while scrolling through her phone, leaning against the countertop. “I told him to hang out with CeCe if he gets bored, but he just gave me a look.”

The shorter girl snorts when she imagines the face that he most likely made; they get along well when it’s the entire group hanging out, but CeCe’s personality is way too blunt and energetic for Toby’s more laid-back nature when they’re hanging out alone.

Aria pouts, “I’m still pretty bummed that she couldn’t tag along.”

“Yeah,” the other girl agrees, “but she’s been trying to get a kick-start on her journalism career for a while. I’m sure she’s having a blast preparing for her first day with the new company.”

“I sense sarcasm,” Aria chuckles.

“Maybe a little.”

Spencer puts her phone away and glances at Emily who walks further into the room, giving the two a “well, I’m ready” kind of smile. 

“Aw, you look so nice,” Aria seems excited when she sees Emily, “now let’s go.”

“Jeez, Ar, slow down a bit,” Spencer laughs. “Everything will still be there when we arrive, trust me,” the girl begins to put her shoes on, feeling shorter than usual since Aria is wearing heels whereas she’s sliding on a pair of flats.

“Don’t even  _ try  _ to act like I’m the only excited one. We haven’t been away in like… I don’t know.  _ Years _ . At least I haven’t,” Aria’s eyes widen; ever since she began teaching art to first-graders, she hasn’t exactly had that much time (or  _ energy _ ) to get out. 

“No, no, you’re not the only one,” Spencer agrees, “but at least give me another minute to fix these things because they’re already killing me.”

“They’re  _ flats _ , Spence.”

“Aria, you know I’d pick bare feet over shoes any day,” her tone is flat.

Emily stays silent for the most part, feeling more and more tired as the minutes pass. Admittedly, she’s starving, but it’s not like she’s as excited to go downstairs and find something to eat. So, in the end, she remains quiet as she slightly sways back and forth while looking around their suite once more, trying to find something she hasn’t already looked at. There’s a large TV situated across from one of the couches as they both rest adjacent to the large, glass windows, and her eyes spot a heater in the corner. Nearby, there’s a bathroom tucked into the opposite corner of the room as it’s partially hidden by a decorative wall, and another closet installed in the wall next to the front entrance’s short hallway.

“Okay,” Spencer breathes out once she’s all set, “you guys ready?”

“Mhm,” they both hum, albeit Emily’s tone is flat.

“Awesome, let’s go.”

Spencer exits the room first, followed by Aria who mutters a quiet “This is so exciting” as she’s followed by Emily who chuckles at the smaller brunette’s anxiousness; truly, she’s never seen Aria this pumped up about anything ━ not to say that the girl isn’t always excitable. She closes the locked door behind her once she’s fully out, reaching backwards to feel if she remembered to take her phone and wallet. Emily nods, more so to herself, once she feels the items in her back pocket, and she pushes forward to follow the two that are practically already at the elevator doors.

As she catches up, Aria taps away on her phone while notifying, “They’re waiting for us in the lobby.” 

Both girls nod at the information before Emily asks, “How long are they staying for?”

“The same as we are,” Aria looks back at her. “They got the same deal we did. Their suite is only down a floor and on the other side of this wing.”

She makes a humming noise in response, earning a sarcastic “You’re talkative today” from Spencer as they step into the elevator.

“I’m sorry,” Emily finds her former spot against the wall, “I really don’t mean to be quiet.”

“I know,” Spencer offers a sympathetic grin, “but we don’t regret bringing you.”

She looks away.

“Hey, Em,” the girl softly calls again as Aria finally puts her phone away, seeming quieter than before she pulled the device out.

When Emily faces Spencer like before, the girl offers her a newer, sympathetic look, “Just try to have fun, okay? For two nights out of the three, even. Just  _ try _ . We’ll be home before you know it.”

“Okay,” she breathes out, “you’re right.”

The elevator dings and the doors open to reveal the long hallway which they previously traveled through to get up to their room. All three girls exit with Aria walking next to Spencer as Emily, once again, lingers behind. As they walk, the tanned girl can see Aria lean over to Spencer and whisper something but she can’t make out what she’s saying so her eyes only narrow. Next, she sees Spencer abruptly stop in her tracks before Aria grabs her arm and tugs her forward, practically dragging the girl through the hall as Emily follows with a confused expression permanently glued over her features.

They turn another corner before a shorter strip of hallway comes into view. The group follows the carpet (with Aria and Spencer walking  _ much  _ slower than previously) until they reach the lobby’s marble floor. Emily looks around to find the others but can’t, so they all stand there whilst searching for Mona and/or Hanna. 

“They should be somewhere━”

“Aria!” Mona calls the girl from across the lobby, waving her hand so the three advance in her direction. 

Once the three brunettes are face to face with Mona, they exchange hugs even though no one has ever really spoken to the dark-haired girl aside from Aria who compliments her dress afterwards.

“Sorry, we wanted to put our names down for a table at the restaurant,” Mona waves her hand as she walks, the others following quickly. “Hanna’s been getting snippy because she’s hungry so I told her to wait for us there.”

“Sounds like Hanna,” Aria comments, and both Emily and Spencer chuckle.

“Yup,” Mona’s eyes widen once they approach the restaurant to find Hanna standing next to the front entrance, back initially facing the group until she turns around to launch herself at everyone.

“Oh my God, it’s been so long,” she whines, hugging two of the brunettes until she gets to Emily and hugs her harder, likely because they’ve seen one another the least amount out of the others.

“I’ve missed you,” Hanna makes a pouting face as she pulls back slightly, looking at Emily who smiles and wraps her arms tightly around the blonde. “Please don’t go M.I.A. for too long ever again.”

“I’m sorry,” the brunette says even though she’s smiling as they pull away from one another, “I’ve been busy with… I don’t know, honestly. I’ll make more time for everyone, I promise.”

“You better, Em,” she pokes at the girl’s chest.

“There you guys are,” another voice sounds from behind everyone, causing five heads to whip toward the source of the sound.

As Emily’s eyes land on Alison for the first time in what feels like forever, her stomach drops ━  _ completely _ . The blonde stands there, practically motionless as if she’s just as caught off-guard when it comes to seeing the girls for the first time in a while ━ excluding Aria ━ until she approaches with a softer smile, passing Emily on her way fully into the group’s little circle. 

Meanwhile, Spencer and Aria watch Emily’s reaction like two hawks. Spencer, actually, lingers there while biting her thumbnail before side-eying Aria who flashes her a tight-lipped smile. The tanned girl continues to look at Alison who stands there with nervous features, attempting to keep the smile plastered across her face even though it’s falling more and more flat by the second.

“Um,” the blonde forces another, newer smile, “how is everyone?”

A blend of phrases such as “Great” and “I’m good” flow around the circle. For the most part, Spencer and Aria are welcoming yet a bit surprised, and they get along just fine with slight conversation getting thrown back and forth. Emily, however, still hasn’t spoken a word since the blonde showed up, but she’s managed to put an obviously fake smile onto her face as she stands next to Hanna who talks with Mona nearby. 

Suddenly, “Hanna, party of six” is being announced by the hostess and they’re following the woman a minute later. 

Aria makes her way to the back of the group where Emily walks, subtly moving closer while whispering, “I’m sorry, Em. I really didn’t know. I think it was a last minute thing because Mona didn’t mention it until we were on our way down here.”

“It’s fine,” Emily shakes her head and forces another smile that obviously says otherwise, “I’m going to  _ try  _ to have a good time,” she side-eyes Aria who walks next to her.

“I promise she’s better than she used to be. Give her a chance,” the girl suddenly stops to face Emily who has to stay in place when she can’t maneuver around the shorter brunette.

When the taller girl doesn’t answer, Aria tries again with a stern tone, “ _ Please _ .”

“It’s not like I’m going to make a scene, Aria. She just caught me off-guard, that’s all.”

“I know,” a sigh falls from her lips. “I feel guilty. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she matches the sigh, “I know you would’ve told me if you knew ahead of time.”

A small wave of silence crashes between them until Aria speaks up again with a quiet “Are you sure that you’ll be okay?”

“Mhm,” Emily nods and hums, “just don’t be surprised if I don’t talk the entire time.”

Aria gives her a look as she tilts her head, earning a tiny laugh from Emily who gestures to their table nearby, seeing everyone seated accordingly. Alison, Hanna, and Mona sit on the further side of the round table while Emily begins to sit down in the middle of Spencer and Aria, straight across from Alison who, for the first time since she arrived, makes eye contact with the brunette. Emily smiles as much as she can, she really does, but it’s shaky and she swallows hard before looking away. Suddenly, she’s back at square one and feels like a young, smitten teenager whereas Alison is the icy, dominating Queen Bee ━ and she  _ hates  _ it.

 

X X X

 

Emily drums her fingers along her knee as she watches her friends gamble in a nearby casino hall. She sits in a comfy lounge chair that’s situated further away from the ropes surrounding the area, perfectly able to see her friends laughing and drinking as they  _ attempt  _ to win big ━ but, as per usual, no avail. She breathes out when thinking about the last few hours, especially when she looks at her watch and sees that it’s nearing nine o’clock at night but  _ “The night is still young” _ (according to Mona once they left the restaurant).

While they ate, everyone discussed whatever happened within the past years. Mona, Hanna, and Alison shared stories about the office they work at and how they became even closer over time, and Mona played coy when Spencer asked how she and Mike are doing. Much to Emily’s surprise, Alison asked each individual girl what they’ve been up to and threw back genuine, complimentary remarks, and she grew even more shocked when the blonde locked eyes with her and asked the same question.

_ “And what about you, Em? What have you been up to?” she smiles softly, causing Spencer and Aria to glance in Emily’s direction as they wait for a response as well. _

_ “Um,” Emily rubs her lips together in thought, “well, I help coach at a college in Baltimore, but otherwise…” her voice trails off, not knowing what else to say. _

_ “Still swimming, huh?” it’s a slight assumption but she arches an eyebrow and the brunette shifts her jaw, looking away when she flashes back to a time in Rosewood High’s locker room. _

After that, the blonde frowned but shook her head and continued to discuss whatever with everyone else. Throughout the rest of their meals, Alison became less quiet than she was when she had previously walked up to the group outside of the restaurant, resulting in Emily falling more and more back into her old, shy and secluded ways. 

It wasn’t until Alison pulled out her phone and rolled her eyes with a huff that the brunette zoned back into the conversation, and that’s because she watched Mona lean over to the blonde as she whisper-hissed,  _ “What did I say about you-know-what with you-know-who?” _

_ “I can’t not tell him anything,” Alison’s eyes widen as she tries to keep her voice down but fails. “He still thinks I’m in Philly.” _

_ “If you tell him, he’ll be pissed and that’ll ruin your time here. You know that.” _

_ “Uh, he’ll be pissed either way, so,” Alison tries with an incredulous head shake. _

By the end of that not-so-quiet discussion, Emily correctly assumed that Alison has a pretty controlling boyfriend and, apparently, the blonde failed to mention that she’s going to Vegas for three overnights. Either way, judging by the look on Mona and Hanna’s faces, they don’t exactly care for Alison’s boyfriend ━ who, Emily was surprised to find out once Spencer asked, is a former Rosewood officer named Gabriel Holbrook. In fact, the two other girls don’t seem to like him at all and, as she listened to the end of their discussion, Emily doesn’t either.

_ “You know that I’m making you stay with me when we get back home, right? I don’t trust you with him. Especially when he’s going to be that angry.” _

_ “He’ll be fine, Hanna. After a few hours, he’ll be━” _

_ “━his same old, useless and emotionally abusive self,” Mona dares Alison to deny it. _

Emily cautiously eyed Alison at the time, feeling guilty but not enough to ever try to sympathize with the girl whom she once knew so much about ━ A.K.A. the girl who’s walking toward the brunette right now.

As Alison approaches with a timid yet carefree expression, Emily straightens her back out and uncrosses her legs, sitting awkwardly as the blonde situates herself in an adjacent chair. Neither girl says anything, at first. Actually, an entire five minutes go by and silence mounts as Alison pulls out her phone to check her texts, seemingly getting nothing because her expression doesn’t change while shoving the device back into her purse.

She looks nice, Emily muses; the girl is wearing a tight, red dress, heels, and her hair is falling over her shoulders like it once had years ago, though it’s a few inches longer than when they were in high school. Additionally, the brunette can tell that the girl’s tastes have matured, judging by the less-powerful perfume that graces her nostrils. Emily bites her lower lip and looks at her hands, breathing out a sigh as Alison looks at her for the first time in minutes. Her lips part as if she’s going to say something, but no words come out and she looks away, causing the brunette to glance in her direction.

“Why aren’t you gambling?” Emily voices her thoughts, not knowing why the girl is sitting with her when she used to be the life of the party.

Alison seems stunned by the random question, but she recovers and looks back toward the girls who stand around a machine while Hanna plays some slots, “I don’t bet on things unless I know I’ll win.”

_ There’s  _ the old Alison, Emily internally rolls her eyes; cryptic replies were always her specialty. When a tinge of hurt stabs at the brunette’s chest due to thinking about their old relationship, Emily licks her lips and faces the girls just the same, purposely looking away from Alison.

“I thought Alison DiLaurentis always wins.”

It comes out colder than she intended but, once the words pass her lips, she doesn’t backtrack or attempt to apologize. Alison, upon hearing the girl’s tone, looks at the brunette with an extreme frown, afterwards turning away and taking in a deep breath.

“Emily,” she glances at the brunette again, eyes narrowed in slight confusion, “did I… do something to upset you? I mean, I know we haven’t spoken in a long time, but…” her voice trails off with a quiet laugh, not knowing how to continue.

“No, not at all,” Emily stares ahead.

“Really, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.”

“You’re lying to me.”

“I’m really not.”

“I know when you’re lying,” her facial expressions make her seem amused by the entire thing.

“I’m not the same person that you knew before, Alison,” the brunette sounds insulted, finally looking at the girl who raises her eyebrows with a face that says “clearly.”

“Neither am I,” she says after a moment of thinking and Emily nearly snorts at the statement.

“Mm,” her hum is flat and the blonde rolls her eyes.

“Fine, when you want to stop being a little baby, let me know,” Alison grabs her purse and flashes a bitter smile at the girl who remains sitting, walking away as she approaches the others who begin to walk toward her.

Emily watches the blonde step in front of the others, only to turn back around as they all walk toward where the lone brunette sits. She sighs heavily, getting ready to go wherever they’re about to drag her next. Once they’re close enough, Emily gets up and locks eyes with Alison who, on contact, looks away forcefully. The brunette feels bad because the other girl seems pretty hurt, but she shakes her head and pays attention to Aria who asks, “Ready to go?”

“Where?”

“We’re going clubbing!” Hanna interrupts and blurts out, a beaming smile across her mouth.

“Great,” Emily forces a large, pained smile, allowing everyone to pass her as she walks behind the group.

The brunette attempts to keep her eyes off of Alison’s figure as the girl walks in front of her, remembering the times when the blonde had very obviously swayed her hips in an exaggerated way while wearing heels as a young teenager. Her eyes evade everyone, really, and she pays attention to where she’s walking because crowds of people begin to pass them, some bumping into her shoulder as she passes through a sea of formal-dressed guests. Luckily, Emily thinks, a good portion of this area is connected, meaning that she can always head back to the suite if need be.

Suddenly, they’re waiting in a line as people make their way into a loud, thumping club. The line moves at a steady rate as Emily takes out her wallet, flashing her I.D. once she’s coming face to face with the bouncer. 

She follows the other girls into the club, making sure not to lose them because she’s not about to get stranded in a foreign place. Soon enough, the girls are splitting as Hanna and Mona drag Alison to the bar while Spencer and Aria move over to a table and lounge area toward the side of the room. Emily follows her two best friends, immediately sitting down in the padded booth as both girls make pointed faces at her.

“What?” she chokes out.

“Em, come on. Drink a little, dance a little,” Spencer leans on the table, “or at least  _ talk  _ a little.”

Emily doesn’t respond; she simply looks away.

Spencer grunts but relents, pushing herself off the table while saying, “I’m going to get something to drink. Do either of you want anything?”

“I’ll come with you,” Aria shakes her head and tosses her purse next to Emily. “Em, do you want a drink?”

“Just get me what you’re having, thanks,” Emily nods, sighing afterwards when she feels bad that no one really wants to be around her because she’s been cold for what seems like the entire night ━ not that she blames them for it.

Aria nods before walking away with Spencer, semi-whispering to the girl once they’re further away from the speakers, “Spence, I feel really bad.”

“Why? It’s not your fault,” the girl says as they approach the bar, somewhat on the opposite side of where the other three of their group are waiting. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m upset that she still feels so sore, but she’s letting this get to her way too much.”

“Yeah, but we don’t know what that kind of thing feels like. Alison was our best friend and she used Emily’s deeper feelings against her. She hasn’t seen her since then. That’s gotta hurt,” she mutters.

Spencer sighs, “No, I know, I know. I’m not talking about  _ just  _ that, though. She’s been so…  _ off _ , recently. We barely hear from her anymore, she stays home all the time, and…” her voice trails off before she shakes her head and shrugs.

Before Aria can respond, Hanna and Mona walk toward them as they wait for their drinks once Spencer notifies the bartender of their order. Once the four girls are in a little huddle, Aria turns to see Alison missing from the group, only to arch an eyebrow at Hanna who quickly notifies, “She’s talking to some dude over there. I don’t know. I didn’t want to ruin her fun.”

Aria nods before turning back to the bar and grabbing their drinks, carefully weaving through a crowd while the others follow close behind with their own beverages. Once they’re at the table once more, Aria places Emily’s drink on the table and earns a small “Thank you.” In return, Aria offers a tiny, sympathetic smile before telling the girl that they’re going to dance for a while.

“Where’s Alison?” Emily frowns and Aria raises an eyebrow.

“She’s at the bar, I believe.”

“Oh,” is all the brunette gets out, not knowing why she asked in the first place.

When no more words are exchanged, the shorter girl walks off and disappears into the crowd, ultimately leaving Emily in the same spot as she pulls out her phone. Thumping music and flashing lights fade out of mind as she scrolls through her messages and, suddenly, she’s checking the last text she received from Sabrina:  _ “Have fun this weekend… but not too much fun.”  _ Emily’s mouth remains in a straight, unaffected line as she leaves her iMessage app, never replying to the girl. After, she begins checking social media, somehow ending up on Alison’s Instagram page which, to Emily’s surprise, is private. For a few moments, her thumb hovers above the “ _ follow _ ” button, but she shakes her head and leaves that app just as quickly. 

The device is in her pocket a moment later and she crosses her arms upon the table’s surface as she periodically sips her drink, initially grimacing at the taste. Her eyes search the dancefloor, not seeing any of her friends at first but, once she looks harder, she watches Hanna, Mona, Spencer, and Aria dance in a group while they laugh at something. She smiles at the sight, mostly because she’s missed their group together ━ even if Mona wasn’t a part of their “original” clique ━ but the expression falls flat when her brown eyes catch sight of the remaining blonde girl pulling some dark-haired, douchey-looking guy semi-toward the group of girls. Once they’re close to the others, Emily watches Alison turn around as she tilts her head and whispers something to the man, leaning in closely before he smirks at her. Afterwards, he puts his hands on the blonde, bringing her closer as they dance in a very less-than-appropriate fashion to the booming music.

Emily stares with a straight face aside from the fact that, when she looks away, her eyebrows raise and she begins to play with the water dripping down the side of her small glass. Although she doesn’t  _ want  _ to, her eyes keep glancing upwards to find Alison still dancing with the same guy, apparently getting closer and closer with every song that passes while strobe lights illuminate the room at a fast rate. Meanwhile, the brunette presses her tongue to the inside of her cheek and draws pictures on the table with the water that pools a bit near her glass.

“ _ Wow _ , how fascinating,” Hanna comments as she slides into the padded booth, leaning her head on Emily’s shoulder once she’s close enough. 

The brunette lets out a small laugh as she tilts her body so her cheek rests on Hanna’s head, afterwards backing up once the blonde looks up to see Mona approaching.

“I thought you were staying with Aria and Spencer,” she furrows her eyebrows, making Emily push over once Mona slides into the seat.

“I was going to, but they’re going to get more drinks and I didn’t feel like watching Alison and that dude practically go at it.”

Emily’s eyes glance in the direction of Alison once again, absentmindedly frowning a bit as the three sit quietly.

“Doesn’t Alison already have a boyfriend?” Emily suddenly questions the girl’s two best friends as she continues to watch the blonde on the dancefloor, deliberately moving her body against the guy whose hands begin to drift toward not-so-friendly areas. 

“Oh, mm,” Mona takes a sip of her drink and places it back onto the small table in front of them, “technically yes, but he’s more like her father than anything.”

The brunette narrows her eyes, “What do you mean?”

“He’s…” Hanna tries to answer but trails off, looking at Mona in the process because she doesn’t know what she should and shouldn’t say on Alison’s behalf, “not a great dude. He hasn’t been for a while now.”

“Honestly, I have no idea if they’re even together right now,” the dark-haired girl continues. “They break up every other day. It’s ridiculous.”

“So,” Hanna drawls as they all glance in Alison’s direction, “we brought her here in hopes that she’d let loose and just… have a good time.”

“She always knows how to have a good time,” Mona slightly adds onto Hanna’s statement, “even though she doesn’t drink much.”

“I hardly think grinding on random strangers is a good time,” the brunette breathes out a laugh, earning smirks from both Mona and Hanna when they hear a hint of something in the girl’s voice.

“Jealous?” Hanna raises her eyebrows and continues to wear an amused grin.

“Of Alison?” Emily looks five times more amused than the blonde, nearly choking on her drink since she had reached for the cup to take a sip. “No way in hell.”

“No,” Mona shakes her head and smiles. “Of the guy.”

“The dude she’s…?” Emily nods toward the area, eyebrows raised as she laughs. “ _ Again _ , no way in hell.”

Mona and Hanna look at one another, interested expressions cascaded over their features. As the blonde goes to say something again, Spencer and Aria approach, thus ending the entire conversation as Emily’s eyes stay practically glued to the girl on the dancefloor, eyebrows furrowed with a straight line covering her mouth. The two girls stand by the table, sipping their new drinks as Emily is lost in her own world until the blonde begins tugging whoever-the-fuck’s hand in the direction of their table. Emily’s body language stiffens, causing Hanna and Mona to regain their previous smirks, afterwards turning their attention to Alison who now stands in front of them as music blares nearby.

“We’re heading out,” she speaks while her hand is clasped by the man’s. 

Emily studies him with curious, narrowed eyes, not bothering to relax her face because, really, she doesn’t care at this point.

“Really?” Hanna frowns. “We literally just got here.”

Alison shoots her a pointed look, causing the other blonde to sigh with a curt “Fine, go.”

Mona, on the other hand, doesn’t intervene; the girl simply waves her hand at Alison with a carefree, tight-lipped smile while Emily makes a scoffing noise as she looks away. Before the blonde leaves with the man, she glances at Emily when she hears the sound, arching an eyebrow before rolling her eyes and wrapping the dude’s arm around her shoulders with one last “Don’t wait up” and a wink.

Once the girl exits the club, Hanna lets out a groan while Mona tuts, “I know. I  _ knew  _ this would happen, but━”

“Isn’t this what you  _ wanted _ ? I thought you brought her here to have a good time,” Emily interrupts in a flat tone, earning a look from Mona and an eye-roll from Hanna.

“ _ Yeah _ ,” Hanna drawls, “we did. This isn’t Alison having fun. This is Alison wanting some type of comfort in the form of getting physical with a guy who won’t get… possessive.”

When the word falls from her lips, Hanna flashes back to when they finally got Alison to join them on this entire trip. 

_ “I don’t know,” Alison shakes her head as she folds some laundry, being stared at by Hanna and Mona who haven’t let up on their pouting lips for minutes now, “I think I should stay here with Gabe━” _

_ “Alison,” Hanna starts, speaking with her hands so the other blonde shuts up, “your possessive━” _

_ “━that’s putting it lightly━” Mona mutters as her eyes widen. _

_ “━man-child will be here when you get back, I promise,” Hanna finishes with a bite and Alison rolls her eyes, breathing out. _

At first, the other blonde was reluctant and pretty much dismissive but, after a few more minutes of pleading, Alison nodded and said,  _ “Alright, I’m in.” _ In response, the two other girls clapped happily until the same blonde confessed,  _ “I’m not telling Gabe, though. If he knew…” _ she trailed off, causing the other two to share a look.

Suddenly, Emily is sighing and sliding out of the booth, meanwhile being stared at by the four others. She stands up as she comes face to face with Aria and Spencer, offering a fake smile while she informs, “I’m going back to the room. I’m tired.”

“Are you sure?” Aria frowns and Emily hears Hanna whining somewhere behind her.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” she sighs. “Will you guys be okay?”

“Well, yeah, but━”

“Don’t go,” Hanna continues to whine.

“Jeez, you and Ali are both such sticks in the mud,” Mona comments, her eyebrows raised as she takes another sip of her drink.

“At least I’m not going back to my room with some stranger,” she comments, earning a sarcastic “Meow” from Mona.

“Don’t be like that, Em,” Aria tilts her head and silently scolds the taller girl. “We all came to have fun, one way or another.”

“You know what?” Emily walks a few steps away from them, speaking with her hands. “Whatever. Maybe my ‘fun’ just so happens to be when I’m  _ alone _ .”

Before anyone can respond, she storms off, leaving the other girls waiting around with wide eyes until Mona raises an eyebrow at Spencer and Aria with a sudden “What’s her problem?”

The brunette pushes her way out of the club until she reaches the hallway. It’s much less crowded than when they first arrived, but visitors still file in and out of the loud space. She walks over to a nearby wall and takes a few deep breaths, suddenly feeling as if she’s going to pass out because she hasn’t been  _ this  _ stressed in months. Sure, it’s been bad, but not this bad and she’s not all that sure why it’s happening when she’s supposed to be relaxing and enjoying time with friends. Suddenly, guilt attacks at her chest, mostly because she never wanted to snap at them like she did but she’s just so  _ pissed _ . How can they blatantly  _ defend  _ Alison walking out with some stranger? It’s disgusting, Emily thinks, and probably pretty damn dangerous. She feels worried for the blonde, in all honesty, and, as she begins to walk down the hall, she wonders when the girl will arrive back to the suite safely. Hopefully it’s not too late, she thinks.

But, wait, why does she care again?

The girl shakes her head and pushes forward, eyes feeling heavy as she ends up going the wrong way. She groans a few seconds later, quickly finding a map plastered to a pillar toward the side of the large, almost-empty room. As she studies the glossy poster, her ears catch onto the sound of a familiar laugh and her stomach twists again, especially when her eyes look to the side and see Alison walking in her direction with an arm around her shoulders. 

When she spots Emily, she stops in her tracks and her lips part. Emily, on the other hand, looks at her and purses her lips, afterwards glancing at the dude and absentmindedly making a face at him before the blonde narrows her eyes, tugs his arm further around her shoulders, and whispers something in his ear. He nods and licks his lips before they change directions and walk away with Alison offering one last, bitter smile as she looks back at the brunette. 

Once they’re out of sight, Emily huffs and walks in the direction of her hotel at a fast, irritated rate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, okay, I know I'm four days early. I have the patience of a goldfish, I get it.
> 
> Alright. Lots to talk about… (and, for those of you who don't know, I enjoy writing lengthy author's notes so you should always plan for like… at least 1K of me rambling about everything).
> 
> First off, what'd you think? Be brutal, be enthusiastic, be honest, etc… (preferably in the reviews/comments so I find something in my email every two seconds).
> 
> This story is, in a way, written to be predictable (at least in the first half of the fic) ━ and maybe a bit far-fetched in terms of "Pls, that wouldn't happen…" I, myself, find it far more entertaining that way, mostly because stories along the same line allow me to mentally yell at characters for not realizing something that's extremely-fucking-obvious. In fact, now that we've gotten through the first chapter, you likely have a few theories about certain things already, especially given the story's summary with a specific, inserted movie title (A.K.A. one of my favorite movies). With that being said, I'll always strive to set my own twists and turns in anything I write.
> 
> There's a saying (or maybe just a concept): When one deals with hurtful experiences and/or challenges, their character becomes hardened. ━ Basically, that's why Emily is acting so cold and overall harsh; she dealt with what Alison put her through as a teenager, followed by those pained emotions stewing inside of her as she grew into someone with a backbone ━ too much backbone, as you can see. Moving forward, she's going to learn how to loosen up and figure out what's going on in her own head because, currently, she clearly has no idea.
> 
> Alison, on the other hand, has her own story to tell and (obviously) a big part of it has to do with Holbrook ━ which, yes, I know… #ew. She's somewhat (or majorly) the opposite of Emily in the sense that she doesn't know how to make clear choices ━ A.K.A. something that will become quite apparent in approaching chapters.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are incredible, you know that? 
> 
> I’ve been sitting here, stoked as hell with a dumb smile on my face because ya’ll seem to (already) be enjoying this story as much as I am and that makes me excited. It shocks me (mostly) because the first chapter wasn’t the most !!!, but, nevertheless, I genuinely believe this fic is going to be a good one, primarily because I took a bunch of #wtf scenarios and squished them into twenty-one chapters. 
> 
> When I say things like “I believe this story is going to be good,” it’s not because I’m trying to be cocky or too confident, but because I was a reader before I dared to write a lone page so, naturally, I do listen to what people like/how they want things to end up. Always, always, always… when I write these author’s notes, it’s from a reader’s point of view; I’m always reading with each and every one of you, and having a pretty damn good time doing it.
> 
> So, before I ramble for ten paragraphs longer, here’s chapter two.

The six girls sit around a table in a huge, almost-empty dining hall. They pick at their plates formerly full of brunch items, compliments of the hotel. It’s pretty damn quiet, actually, aside from the girls who make chitchat about what their plans for the day are going to be ━ except for Emily and Alison who both sit there, completely silent.

When they first sat down, the brunette kept glancing in the other girl’s direction as they remain across from one another, secretly wanting her to look up or make eye contact solely to know that she isn’t invisible. Unfortunately (Emily admits), the blonde never paid attention to her and she sank further into her seat as she crossed her arms over her stomach, only partly listening to the conversations floating around the table.

Clearly, the entire trip’s ultimate vibe is “guilt” because that’s all she’s been feeling since last night; maybe, Emily thinks, she forced Alison into becoming the old, snappy girl she used to know. Honestly, the brunette has no idea why she became so cold once Alison came around. Sure, the things she did back then were fucked up, but it’s not like they see one another often enough to rehash former events. On the other hand, she can’t simply turn her feelings off and ignore everything, especially when she looks at the blonde’s facial features and remembers how soft the girl’s skin used to be. Emily swallows hard at the thought, afterwards clearing her throat as she hugs her body tighter. Alison continues to stare at the round table in front of her, an empty look cascaded over her features.

“Ooh!” Hanna squeaks as she points to a handheld map she had grabbed before they sat down, “We could go here tonight.”

“That’s the bingo hall,” Spencer looks over and her forehead creases.

“ _ No _ , Spencer,” the girl grunts, “I was pointing to the club next to it.”

Emily internally groans because, great, another club ━ A.K.A. another night of watching Alison go home with some random stranger. Maybe she should just… stay in the suite and vege out. It’d probably keep everyone’s mood at ease, in the long run. No, no, she definitely wants to go out and attempt to have fun again ━ and, this time, she means it. Regardless of what happens with Alison, she knows that Spencer and Aria deserve to enjoy this vacation and, maybe, so does she. After all, she paid a shiny penny to join these two, regardless of the discount Spencer obtained. Suddenly, she takes a deep breath and forces a smile, determined to join in on the conversation━ 

Her brown eyes catch sight of Alison’s boy toy as he walks further into the hall, immediately advancing in the blonde’s direction as Mona clears her throat at Alison and nods toward whoever-the-fuck. The girl turns around and smiles big on sight ━ but not a friendly smile, Emily notes; it’s definitely a flirtatious, “oh, there you are” type of expression, causing the brunette to feel sick as she, once again, sinks further into her seat.

“Miss me already?” Alison speaks with a tinge of seduction in her voice, giggling when he raises his eyebrows. 

Emily makes a face at the entire exchange, rolling her eyes severely and not realizing that she’s being watched by Mona who wears a smirk and Aria who’s holding a confused expression. She bites her bottom lip as she forces herself to look away from the two making googly eyes at each other on the opposite side of the table, but her ears betray her and remain listening to their sickening conversation.

“I had a nice time last night,” he smiles and, although he’s wearing a dressy suit, his body language is the least bit professional and Emily clears her throat after hearing his heavy accent.

“Just  _ nice _ ?” she raises an eyebrow as he continues to stand near the table.

The man rubs his lips together as his eyes drift downwards. Emily glances in their direction a fraction, only to see Hanna making a disgusted face out of the corner of her eye. The brunette wants to laugh at the second blonde’s reaction, more so because Hanna catches sight of Emily staring at her and deepens the gagging face, but she keeps her lips sealed shut.

“How long are you staying for?” Alison’s overly sweet voice is becoming too much, so Emily pulls out her cell phone in hopes that she’ll be able to distract herself.

“Ah, not long at all,” the man sounds let down.

“Your loss,” Alison shrugs and Emily notes that she clearly hasn’t lost her touch when it comes to seduction.

He goes to speak again as the brunette looks up from her phone screen, but another man rushes into the room as he almost passes the hall, quickly backtracking and approaching where the girls sit with a slightly panicked “Elliott, there you are.”

“Not now, Wren, I’m busy,” Elliott looks backwards and nearly hisses at his friend.

“Your wife is here,” the other man uses the same tone and Alison automatically stiffens in her seat.

“You have a  _ wife _ ?” she partially squeaks and, again, Emily wants to laugh but, instead, slides her phone back into her pocket.

The blonde turns around in her seat to face the table and rubs her eyelids while mumbling something, looking clearly embarrassed as she breathes out. The two men behind her sound like they’re in a panic, especially when they turn to see an angry, slim, dark-haired woman stalking over toward where they stand near the table of six girls. Elliott seems as though he has no idea what to do, judging by the way he looks in a few directions without moving from behind where Alison sits. Wren, on the other hand, takes multiple steps back and rubs at his forehead before crossing his arms because, shit, he has no idea what to do.

“There you are,” her voice sounds conniving and she grits her teeth before her eyes scan over the table of girls, all staring back at her with a mixture of different expressions ━ except for Alison who has her head in her hand as her elbow is propped up on the table, backside facing the woman.

She continues, “Of course you’d be lingering around a bunch of easy girls.” 

Hanna, immediately, feels her temper flare as she looks at Mona while whisper-hissing, “Isn’t he the one who came onto Alison?” as her hand slightly gestures toward the other blonde who smacks her arm down on the table, tossing an incredulous look at Hanna who  _ completely  _ threw her under the bus. 

A soft “Oops” falls from Hanna’s lips and Emily’s mouth opens a fraction. Spencer and Aria, on the other hand, sit there with wide eyes that bounce back and forth between Hanna, Alison, the woman, and Mona who purses her lips as if this doesn’t faze her at all.

“Oh yeah, I’m sure he did,” sarcasm practically radiates off the woman and the blonde’s cheeks turn rosy as she ducks her head.

“Um, yeah,” Hanna squints, “he did. And my friend isn’t easy, by the way. Compared to him, she’s pretty damn classy.”

“ _ Classy _ ,” she chokes on a laugh. “If she was classy, she wouldn’t have very  _ obviously _ slept with my husband.”

“She didn’t know he was married!”

“That’s bullshit. He always wears his ring,” she says before turning toward her husband with a fierce “Don’t you?” to which he nods quickly. 

Emily notes that he’s lying and she knows it for a fact because she watched the way his hands roamed━ 

“Don’t you have anything better to do than pick on girls that are  _ clearly  _ a lot younger than you are?” Hanna fires back, smiling when the woman looks extremely stunned by the implication that she’s old. 

“Thaaat’s enough, Hanna,” Mona holds her shoulder, flashing a tight-lipped smile because she doesn’t feel like getting thrown out of the hotel for causing a scene.

“No,” the blonde stands up, “she’s being rude and I didn’t come to Vegas to be insulted.”

Mona and Spencer both get up to drag Hanna away but, when the woman tilts her head and says, “No, you just came to sleep with married men,” the blonde loses it and slaps her blush-covered cheek, afterwards being lifted off the ground by the two who carry her away.

Emily can hear the sound of a struggle fade into the distance further and further before the woman rounds Alison’s chair to look her in the eyes ━ though the blonde doesn’t glance up ━ and says, “Leave Elliott alone,” before tugging on the man’s arm and walking away. 

Wren breathes out a curt “Well, then” as he turns to the remaining girls and offers a quiet “Sorry about that” before following the other two. 

As Alison is in a permanent trance while she stares at the table, Emily glances at Aria who seems equally concerned. Suddenly, the blonde sniffles harshly, pushes her chair out, and begins to walk away from the table at a fast pace. Quickly, Emily silently notifies Aria that she’ll be right back before chasing after Alison. 

“Alison,” Emily calls but the girl doesn’t stop.

“Alison,  _ wait _ ,” she tries again, finally causing the blonde to stop but she doesn’t turn around.

When she sees that the girl has stopped walking, she speeds up and rounds where Alison stands so they can be face to face. Suddenly, Emily has no idea what to say so her mouth opens and closes a few times, causing Alison to start walking again. Emily catches her wrist, however, automatically letting go when the blonde looks backwards with an annoyed facade.

“Don’t pay attention to what that woman said. She was out of line,” Emily’s voice is low and Alison shifts her jaw while moving a couple of steps away, afterwards looking back at the brunette with unshed tears in her eyes.

Instead of accepting the comfort, Alison swallows hard and forces a bitchy response as she bites, “You think I don’t know that?” and walks away, leaving the other girl in the same spot.

Emily stands there, forehead creased in disbelief as she watches the blonde leave while rubbing at her face, eventually disappearing behind a corner. 

After a few more seconds, she shakes her head and walks back to Aria who is beginning to gather her small bag from next to her chair. As she approaches, the shorter brunette turns around and abruptly stops when she doesn’t notice Emily.

“Did you catch up to Alison?”

“Mhm,” her hum is blunt, “but I think I only pissed her off more.”

“Jeez, that entire thing was ridiculous,” Aria whispers. “Poor girl.”

“I know,” Emily mutters, actually feeling awful about the situation because she’s never seen Alison that distraught, “I feel bad for last night, too.”

“You were caught off-guard, Em. It was probably a natural reaction.”

“That’s━” she cuts herself off, “That’s no excuse. Even when we were alone, I…”

“Well, you have tonight and tomorrow to make up for whatever-it-is. Take it easy on yourself, alright?”

Emily nods as she looks down at her feet.

“Speaking of tonight… are you coming with us? We’re going to a different club that’s a little further into the building.” 

She breathes out, “I don’t know…” and the response earns a giant pout from Aria matched with a whiny, elongated “Please.”

When the taller brunette continues to think, Aria stops whining and says, “You don’t have to come for long because I don’t want to force you into anything, but you really  _ should  _ buy Alison a drink.”

“Mona and Hanna said she doesn’t drink much, and how am I supposed to know what she likes?” the girl tilts her head with squinted eyes.

“I don’t know,” Aria begins to back up with a soft smile, “just… think of something Ali-like.”

“You mean, like a… Sour?” Emily smirks as she follows the girl who shoots her a look.

Aria shakes her head with a laugh.

“How about a…  _ Hurricane _ ?” she continues and, this time, Aria rolls her eyes fully.

“Not funny,” she scolds with a tiny smile and Emily breathes out a quiet “Okay, okay” as they begin to walk toward the elevators, set on wasting the day away until it’s time to head out again.

 

X X X

 

Well, Emily thinks as she looks at herself in the full-length mirror, it’s not as uncomfortable as originally imagined. She turns around a fraction, checking both sides of the jet black, tight-fitting,  _ very  _ revealing, above-knee-length dress with the center pretty much cut out until an inch beneath her boobs. Next, she purses her lips and tilts her head to the side, somewhat making a face before she rolls her eyes.

“Looks like someone’s finally having some fun,” Spencer and Aria both stand in the doorway as they watch the third brunette practically jump out of her heels when she doesn’t realize they’re there.

When she turns to them with a pointed expression, Spencer breathes out a soft yet impressed “ _ Jesus _ , Em. Can you do  _ my  _ makeup?”

Aria hums in agreement, admiring the smoky look that the girl’s wearing to match her dark outfit. Her eyeshadow is pretty dark, making her eyes seem ten times lighter than usual, and she looks overall stunning.

“What made your mood turn around so heavily?” again, Spencer smiles and raises her eyebrows as she crosses her arms.

“Well,” Emily turns back to the mirror, fixing her hair by moving her hands around, “I know I’ve been a bit…  _ off  _ and, honestly, maybe dressing up will help me…” she makes an assortment of hand motions and laughs.

“You look great, Em,” Aria grins as she remains standing next to Spencer.

“Are we leaving?” the tanned girl turns to the other two.

“Mhm,” the shorter brunette hums as she looks at her phone’s clock, “it’s nearing ten, so yeah, they should be downstairs waiting for us.”

Emily nods as she walks over to the bed, casually grabbing her phone and wallet before finding the small purse that she had dug out of her suitcase so she can stash the items within. Once that’s finished, the three girls gather in the suite’s main space as Spencer turns to them to ask, “Ready?” which earns two, affirming nods.

They step out into the hallway as Emily locks the door behind them, afterwards following both girls toward the elevators. As she walks, she attempts to keep her mind on a positive level because, really, her nerves are chomping at her stomach ever since she’s made the decision (a determined one, at that) to buy Alison a drink. It’s not the _greatest_ peace-offering, but it’ll have to do; maybe, eventually, she’ll be better at speaking to the blonde without giving attitude and, maybe then, they can become good friends again. Who knows, Emily thinks, but hopefully tonight is better than last ━ not to mention this morning.

After they left the dining hall, Aria and Emily headed up to the suite to bullshit the day away. Normally, people go and sight-see or even gamble for a good percentage of the day but, for whatever reason, they only went down to bet on silly machines for an hour or two. At one point, they threw around the proposal of going down to use the indoor pool but, within seconds, they decided against the idea ━ especially Emily who nearly fell asleep on the couch. Spencer and Aria were quick to wake her up, however, with the scolding remark:  _ “No naps in Vegas.” _ Really, if there was a squirt gun around, they would’ve used it, so Emily simply shoved herself off the piece of furniture and walked into the bathroom to shower.

Throughout most of her time relaxing, Emily found herself thinking about the blonde girl, often wondering what she’s currently doing and how she felt after this morning’s situation. Her guilt continued to eat at her, that’s for sure, and it almost lead her to walk downstairs just to ask if she’s okay. Obviously, that idea was nixed as well and, not even minutes later, Emily forced herself into deciding that she’ll follow through on what she told Aria she’d do.

Her heels click against the lobby’s marble floor, having been zoned out for however-many minutes as the three girls walked through the hotel’s hallways. As they walk further into the room, they spot the others sitting along a couch, dressed up in an array of dresses. 

Alison immediately catches Emily’s eye, though she tries not to stare. The girl is dressed up in a short, half-white, half-black dress with the top portion being covered in lace, only held up by two, thin straps. To finish off the outfit, she’s wearing heels to match and her hair is wavier than usual. The brunette wants to stare, admittedly, but she tries her hardest to look away and, thankfully, her name is called by Aria so she finds a distraction.

“Em, can you…” the girl tries to fix her heel but can’t steady herself, so she grabs onto Emily’s arm in order to balance. 

As Emily looks down and chuckles at Aria who struggles, Alison eyes the tanned girl’s outfit deliberately and Mona notices, afterwards leaning into Hanna’s ear to whisper something. Once Mona and Hanna straighten their backs out, they’re both glancing in the other blonde’s direction and smirking subtly. Spencer, standing nearby, rummages through her purse to make sure she has everything ━ for a third time.

“Alright, I think I’m good,” Aria says as she stares at her feet, moving them a little and giving herself a firm head nod.

“Let’s go,” Mona looks at the others before walking away, letting her eyes flicker between Emily and Alison more than the remaining girls. 

Emily walks behind Alison who’s at Hanna’s side. As they make their way toward the club, the brunette notes the fact that the other girl seems less excited than the prior night, only mumbling a word or two since they had gathered in the lobby. Even now, Hanna walks next to her and Emily hears the girl whisper, “You okay?” to Alison, earning a not-so-convincing hum in return. 

Hanna doesn’t push it, however, and they continue weaving through the halls that are moderately crowded, full of people filing in and out of various eateries, clubs, and whatever else the building holds. Emily takes a deep breath as she looks at the scenery, once again feeling overwhelmed by the loud music and bright lights, but she forces herself to hold a smile on her face as she walks next to Aria and Spencer who make meaningless chitchat.

“Have you spoken to Toby?” Aria questions after minutes of walking as they finally stop in front of their destination, waiting to pass through the doors.

“Mhm,” she hums, “only briefly, but he’s doing good.”

“Did he ask if you’re having fun?”

“Yeah, but he more so asked if Em’s having a nice time,” Spencer snickers as she glances at Emily.

“Why me?” comes Emily’s near-squeak.

“Because he knows you haven’t been wanting to do much lately.”

She sighs, “I know. I feel really shitty for neglecting him recently. I didn’t mean to.”

Spencer shrugs, “He’s not too hurt over it. He just misses your little…  _ whatever- _ hang-outs you used to have.”

“I know he’s not hurt, but I feel bad. He’s my neighbor, Spence. I  _ should  _ make more time for him.”

“Then why don’t you?” Aria asks quietly as the line in front of them thins out.

“I’m going to.”

Before either other brunette can offer a rebuttal, they’re faced with the bouncer and, soon enough, are allowed to pass into the club. It’s a lot bigger than the previous night’s and most walls are sectioned off with couches accompanied by circular tables. The girls see servers going around and placing trays of drinks on a few of the tables, as well as a bar toward the back of the club. People dance in the middle of the floor while booming music flows through multiple, built-in speakers, all topped off with flashing lights that move with the beat of whatever song is playing at the time.

As Emily continues to look around, she almost loses the others in a sea of people and has to walk faster to catch up. While walking, she sees a few guys allowing their eyes to wander downwards as they hold their drinks with a firm grip. Noticing this, Emily rolls her eyes and wants to cover herself up because, to put it bluntly, this is  _ exactly  _ why she never dresses up in things that don’t cover ninety percent of her body. Thankfully, she thinks, the girls are moving toward a vacant couch area that’s tucked into a side of the room, a bit away from the bar and the same distance away from the dancefloor. From here, Emily will have a clear view of everyone and she partially breathes out because it lessens her anxiety by a great amount.

“Are you going to be sitting here?” Aria questions as she tosses her bag onto the couch. “If you don’t want to, it’s totally fine. I just figured━”

“Yes, I am,” Emily cuts off her impending rant with a soft laugh, though it can barely be heard over the sound of the music.

The shorter girl offers a solid head nod before walking off toward the bar, following Mona, Hanna, and Spencer who are already grabbing stools in front of the counter. 

When Emily doesn’t see Alison, her head whips around to see the blonde in question sitting on the couch, body language looking bored and nervous. Emily’s lips part and she glances in the other girls’ direction as she stares at the bar, almost like she’s debating on how she should go about this “plan.” In the end, she decides to sit down and attempt a conversation before anything, especially because Alison looks super distant and she’s curious to know if it’s because of this morning.

Emily gets situated on the opposite side of the couch, a whole two cushions between them. The brunette’s eyes avoid looking in Alison’s direction at first, not wanting to seem too eager because, well, she feels like it’d be weird to go from “don’t talk to me” to a “let me talk to you” attitude so quickly. She takes a deep breath as she stares at the crowd in front of them, all dancing to the music as girls grind on guys and, fuck, she hopes she doesn’t have to see Alison taking part in anything like that tonight for whatever reason. Suddenly, her head begins to pound as she rolls her neck, taking another large inhale and exhaling a few seconds later in order to keep herself in a better mood.

Minutes pass and Alison has barely moved in the meantime. In fact, Emily wonders if the girl is in some sort of trance at this point, so she glances in the blonde’s direction to see her blue eyes staring at the crowd just the same. Now, the other four girls are dancing in the middle of part of the crowd and Emily feels bad because, normally, Alison would be out there having a great time but, now, she’s just…  _ there _ . So, without wasting any more time, the brunette leans her head back before turning to Alison.

“Can’t find anyone you like?” Emily tries to joke over the music, watching the girl stare at the group ahead.

“I don’t need to find someone every time I go out. I’m not looking,” the blonde throws back, acting unmoved by the entire thing.

“I’m not trying to be a bitch. You just look bored,” she shrugs.

“I’m not bored,” Alison breathes out. “I don’t want to do anything, that’s all.”

“What changed?”

“What?” the girl finally looks at Emily, forehead creased.

“What changed since last night?”

The blonde continues to look at her, eyes slightly narrowed. Emily, in response, tilts her head to the side and offers a small grin, attempting to get a lighter expression out of Alison but failing as the girl puts on a stone-like facade.

“Look, I’m sorry for being an ass yesterday,” Emily tries and Alison raises her eyebrows as she avoids the brunette’s eyes.

“Yeah, well,” the blonde comments, not offering anything more.

“I don’t want to be on bad terms with you, Alison.”

“I don’t want a lot of things.”

Emily shifts her jaw and rolls her eyes as she looks away; this entire “complicated” bullshit is  _ really  _ getting old.

Another minute or so passes as silence (well, metaphorical silence) fills the air between them. Alison chews the inside of her cheek as her face looks expressionless. Emily, on the other hand, listens to the many thoughts swirling around inside her head and, finally, she inaudibly mutters, “Fuck it,” before pushing herself off the couch once she snatches her small bag.

“I’m going to the bar to get a drink. What do you want?” Emily turns to face Alison and waits until she gets an answer.

“I don’t drink━”

“━much, I know,” the brunette shoots her a look. “Let me buy you one.”

The other girl stares at her, still unmoved.

“One drink,” Emily raises her pointer finger as her lips turn into a small, convincing smile, eventually earning a deep breath and subtle nod from the girl who remains sitting.

Alison repeats the words, “One drink,” as she relents, a tiny smile of her own forming.

“What do you want?” Emily narrows her eyes and tilts her head. 

The blonde offers a smug grin, “Figure it out.”

In response, the other girl huffs before turning away, internally musing that, yeah, it’s about to be a  _ long  _ night.

Her heels take her over to the bar quickly and, just as she reaches the counter, Hanna is walking by. Immediately, Emily snatches the blonde’s arm and earns an abrupt squeak.

“Jeez, Em, I thought you were some handsy drunk,” Hanna’s eyes are wide. “What do you want?”

“What does Alison like to drink?” 

The blonde turns her head to glance at━

“Don’t look over there,” Emily hisses. “She told me to figure out what to order, but how the hell am I supposed to know?”

Hanna snorts, “Why are you panicking so much?”

“Because,” she shakes her head firmly, “I don’t know.”

The girl breathes out and looks at the ceiling, “Let’s see… um, really… anything fruity. What were you going to order yourself?”

“I didn’t think of that,” Emily frowns.

“Just get her a Cosmo. I don’t know,” she pauses. “Em, I  _ really  _ need to pee. Figure it out.”

The girl all but runs to the bathroom, leaving the brunette to decide for herself. Ultimately, she goes with what Hanna told her in hopes that the girl wasn’t simply throwing her to the wolves. Additionally, Emily ends up ordering herself some type of hard iced tea listed on their  _ “Specials”  _ wall board. She waits for the drinks at the counter, feeling more and more antsy by the passing second, and glares at Hanna who walks by in order to get back to the others. As she’s passing, Hanna whispers a loud-enough “Good luck” in her ear, causing Emily to panic again because, really, what the hell?

Finally, her drinks are slid across the bar and she leaves some money for the man, being offered a solid head nod before she walks away. She breathes deeply as she carefully moves toward their couch area, immediately placing the drinks onto the table in front of Alison who smirks heavily.

“You asked Hanna, didn’t you?”

“What? I did no━”

“I saw you,” she challenges with a flat tone.

Emily slouches as she stares at Alison, “ _ Okay _ ,” she drawls, “but only because you didn’t give me any information to go on.”

“I would've told you last night if you weren’t too busy throwing a fit,” Alison throws back, taking a sip of her drink.

“I guess I deserve that,” Emily nods and tastes her own drink.

“You guess?” again, the blonde’s tone is flat and she puts her beverage onto the table, afterwards reclaiming her former position and staring at the dancing crowd.

They now sit with only one cushion between them, finally close enough to talk without having to fully shout over the music. Emily looks at her hands once they’re free, feeling guilty once again. Alison, on the other hand, side-eyes the brunette with a frown.

“I’m sorry,” Alison shakes her head. “I’m not in the best mood right now.”

“I can tell,” Emily offers, “and I don’t mean that in a rude way, I swear.”

“I know you don’t. It’s okay,” Alison reaches for her drink, taking a longer sip before rubbing her lips together once she swallows.

She stares at the liquid and breathes out, slightly swirling the drink before taking a shorter taste. The glass is placed on the table a few seconds later, followed by Emily’s glass being put back in its former area.

“Do you want to talk about it?” the brunette tries, not wanting to pry.

Alison makes a face, “Nothing to talk about.”

Emily nods and leans back against the couch, feeling somewhat helpless. They don’t speak for another few minutes, but both girls drink periodically as the others continue to dance somewhere within the crowd’s many club-goers.

“So,” the blonde breaks the tension this time, “you… coach?”

“I do,” Emily confirms. “I’m assistant coach at a community college in Baltimore.”

“Swimming?” Alison asks, not wanting to get a similar response to the day before.

“Yeah,” she breathes out. “Unfortunately, it’s not swim season currently so I was dragged here.”

The other girl laughs, “They basically dragged me here, too.”

“You didn’t want to come?”

“No, not at first.”

“Why not?”

“Why didn’t  _ you  _ want to come?” Alison deflects with a pointed smile.

Emily purses her lips, “I don’t know, honestly. I’m not a fun person.”

“I’m sure that’s not true.”

“ _ Yeah _ , you haven’t seen me in a while, remember?” Emily grabs her drink and swallows the rest of it, followed by Alison who almost tries to one-up her by doing the same.

When the blonde places her glass back onto the table in front of them, she locks eyes with Emily who arches an eyebrow, focus moving back and forth between Alison and the empty drink. She continues asking the same, silent question until the other girl understands, cautiously squinting her eyes and nodding slowly. The corner of Emily’s lips turns upwards a fraction as she gets up without a word, walking back over to the bar while Alison bites her bottom lip as she waits.

Alison’s blue eyes search the crowd for her friends, eventually finding the group that dances together. Hanna and Aria hold drinks as they sway whereas Mona and Spencer dance together, much more in-tune with the music. 

The blonde snickers at the sight as she watches, soon being joined by Emily who slides onto the couch again. Alison thanks the girl for the drink, immediately taking a sip before she sighs once she puts it down. Emily does the same and makes a face, quickly leaning back and looking at Alison.

“So, what have  _ you  _ been up to recently?” Emily puts the spotlight on the blonde, waiting for an answer.

Alison shrugs, “Just office stuff. It’s not all that fascinating, really. Other than that…” she makes a face that says “nothing exciting.”

“Hm,” Emily hums.

“You look nice,” the blonde comments out of nowhere, earning a sheepish smile from the girl sitting beside her.

“I feel…  _ exposed _ ,” they both laugh.

“Who says that’s a bad thing?”

“I do,” again, they laugh at Emily’s wide-eyed expression.

“No, I like it,” Alison smiles. “It’s different.”

“A good different?”

“A  _ different  _ different,” her features seem softer than before, accompanying the faint pink that’s forming across her cheeks, likely a result from the drinks.

“Well, I’m glad  _ someone  _ likes this type of different,” Emily grips her glass once she’s finished drinking more.

Alison laughs again, earning a look from the brunette who’s confused by the sudden reaction.

The blonde raises her eyebrows, “I’m sure more than one someone likes this look on you. As in… the multiple guys checking you out as you walked to the bar before.”

Emily groans as Alison takes another, long sip of her drink, nearing the end of her second beverage, “They don’t count.”

“Of course they count. Anyone counts if they’re staring long enough,” the blonde dares.

“Mm, not for me.”

“Why not?” she smiles.

“I don’t like when people…” her voice trails off and she purses her lips when she has no idea how to continue the sentence, so she starts a new one, “I don’t like to be looked at as if I’m just for show. I know it’s a club, but…” she shakes her head.

“So you put on this outfit thinking that everyone would mind their business?” Alison raises her eyebrows. “You think too highly of the testosterone-crazed boys in here.”

Emily looks at her almost-empty drink.

Alison adds, “And probably most of the girls, too.”

“Now  _ that’s  _ not true,” a chuckle exits her throat.

The blonde’s eyes drift down the girl’s body, afterwards forcefully looking away as she feels her face warming up. She reaches forward and downs the rest of her drink, immediately making a disgruntled expression as she puts the glass down. 

Now at the bar, Mona watches the two girls on the couch through a smaller group of people. She’s wearing a smirk as she sips her drink, casually leaning against the wooden furniture behind her as she’s been staring at Emily and Alison for a number of minutes. Soon, Hanna walks over with Spencer and Aria in tow. As they reach where Mona is standing, Spencer offers a quick “I’m heading to the bathroom” as she leaves Aria and Hanna behind.

“What are you looking at?” Hanna frowns as she narrows her eyes at Mona, earning a pointed “look at that” type of gesture from the dark-haired girl.

When the blonde glances in the instructed direction, the same kind of smirk grows on her face as she turns to Mona, the girl’s eyebrows raised in an impressed manner.

“Looks like those two are finally hitting it off,” Hanna comments. “I guess my Cosmo really worked.”

“Your what?” Mona snorts.

She waves her hand, “Emily asked what she should order Alison and I told her a Cosmo. Honestly, I  _ seriously  _ had to pee and I couldn’t stand her panicking anymore.”

Mona and Hanna watch the girls on the couch laugh together, talking about something animatedly as Alison narrows her eyes with a grin. Soon, Aria grabs her drink off the bar and walks over to the two standing nearby, questioning with a confused “What are we looking at?”

“Emily and Alison,” Hanna remains smirking, side-eying Mona who hums with an excited and elongated “Mhm.”

“Aw, they look so cute,” Aria beams. “I’m happy for them.”

“Cute  _ indeed _ ,” Mona comments before turning around.

Emily and Alison’s laughter dies down as the brunette finishes telling a story about something that happened a few months prior. They both take a few breaths, attempting to cool down because they’re both feeling the effects of their drinks now that they’ve settled. Emily clears her throat forcefully before rubbing her lips together, staring ahead and not finding anyone they know. Before she can mention it, however, the blonde is speaking again.

“You know,” Alison abruptly turns to the girl, “we  _ really  _ should have done this last night. It would’ve been much more interesting.”

Emily breathes out a shaky laugh and looks straight ahead with a grin, “I’m not sure that’s an accurate word,” and she laughs harder once Alison narrows her eyes.

“What do you mean?” the blonde looks amused, fully turning her body so her elbow is leaning against the back of the couch as blinking lights cascade upon their faces.

“I wasn’t in the right mindset yesterday,” Emily shakes her head. “I would’ve said something super shitty and you wouldn’t have been able to have fun with that guy.”

Alison scoffs, chuckling as she raises her eyebrows, “Like I had fun with him, anyway.” 

The brunette looks at her, taking another, long sip of her drink to finish off the beverage.

“He was… average,” she explains and Emily snorts once she puts her glass onto the table.

She wipes her lips, “Average, or bad?”

“ _ So _ bad.”

They laugh hard until Emily is able to get out a slightly broken-up “Well then why’d you act like you wanted more this morning?” while their laughter dies down.

Alison shrugs, not offering an explanation except for “He was there” while looking at her hands.

“You could do so much better,” the brunette chuckles, glancing at her empty glass as she seals her lips.

“Could I?” Alison grins as she narrows her eyes, facing Emily again.

“Yup.”

“Could I,  _ really _ ?”

“Yup.”

“Explain,” she raises her eyebrows suddenly, making Emily shift in her seat.

“What do you mean?”

“What’s ‘much better’?” Alison moves closer.

“Someone who cares,” Emily looks at her, afterwards forcing her eyes away when they drift to the blonde’s lips. “Someone who wants more than just…” this time, her eyes purposely flicker downwards, roaming Alison’s outfit until she backs up and arches an eyebrow at the girl who nods in understanding with a soft humming noise.

“What do  _ you  _ want?” she begins to get extremely close, causing Emily to force a smile and swallow hard.

Within seconds, the brunette manages to get out a choked-up “I want another drink” before she gets to her feet, turns back to Alison, and tilts her head while asking, “What do you want?”

The blonde licks her lips and squints her eyes, seemingly thinking before saying, “Surprise me.”

Emily nods slowly, offering a quiet “Stay here” before walking backwards and disappearing into the crowd.

She’s weaving through the crowd a few seconds later, making her way to the bar until she reaches the counter. As she waits for the bartender to come over, Mona shows up with a cheery “Well, hello there” and a smile. Emily flashes the same expression, casually throwing her order to the bartender who nods at her from where he stands.

“Having a nice time?” the other girl asks, a knowing look written across her face.

“Uh,” she thinks for a moment before nodding, “yeah.”

“Mhm, I can tell.”

Emily looks at her before the dark-haired girl faces the bartender who approaches, sliding some money across the surface while nodding to Emily, “I’ve got this round.”

The brunette eyes her skeptically but accepts the offer, still subtly glaring at the girl who walks away with a smug grin. Once she’s finally gone, Emily leans forward against the bar and mutters something to the bartender as she gestures to where Alison’s sitting. He nods a second later while giving her a thumbs up. In response, she sends more money across the bar in advance, afterwards grabbing the two drinks and heading back to where Alison sits. 

Quickly, she makes it back to the girl with minimal swaying, careful to place the glass onto the table as the blonde chuckles.

“Wow, what a surprise,” she reaches for the glass. “You can’t think of anything besides a Cosmo, can you?”

“I didn’t want to be up there for too long,” the girl confesses as she takes a gulp of her drink.

“Why? Wanted to get back to me quickly?” Alison smirks and Emily chuckles into her glass.

No response ever comes. In fact, the brunette stops talking for a good two minutes before Alison drums up some courage to talk again, her head feeling fuzzy yet a bit lighter. As she opens her mouth, a server comes over and places a small tray of tiny glasses in front of them, causing the blonde to look at Emily with wide eyes. The brunette, on the other hand, smirks heavily and tilts her head as she giggles.

“You didn’t,” Alison says although she’s smiling.

No response.

“Did you  _ seriously  _ get us a tray of shots?” Alison’s eyes bounce between the small platter and the brunette who still smirks deviously.

“Well, I figured that we might as well go all out tonight because I’m sure we’ll be way less fun in the morning,” Emily grabs a small glass and hands it to Alison who eyes the liquid, afterwards taking one for herself. “At least  _ I’ll  _ be less fun.”

“That’s not true,” the blonde tilts her head as she holds the shot. “You’re just comfortable in your own little bubble and that’s totally fine,” she teases.

Emily rolls her eyes and laughs, “Ha, funny. At least I’m not crazy enough to leave with a stranger.”

“Mm, I can see it happening someday.”

“A stranger? No way.”

“We’ll see,” Alison’s teeth show through her smile before she raises the small glass and shoots Emily a look that begs the question “ready?” to which the brunette makes a face before nodding and taking the shot at the same time as the blonde.

They both grimace before putting the two glasses down. Alison clears her throat as she offers the comment “Disgusting” to which Emily snickers at. The blonde reaches for her drink and washes down the shot with more alcohol, resulting in another gross face.

“Haven’t done this in a while?” the brunette side-eyes Alison as she takes a sip of her own drink.

The girl rubs her lips together as she breathes out, “No way. Not since… my first and only year of college.”

“You went to college?” Emily raises her eyebrows.

“Briefly,” she nods and blinks heavily, afterwards shaking her head when she can’t focus. “I dropped out after my mom passed away. I couldn’t handle it.”

The brunette’s face falls flat, feeling guilty for asking the question in the first place. Before she can get too bummed, however, Alison grabs another shot and hands it to Emily whose lips part. As the blonde gets one for herself, the other girl says, “You don’t have to have another, Ali. It’s okay,” which earns the response “We’re here to have fun and I’m having another if you do.”

“Who says that I’m having another?”

“I do,” she smirks and, as the brunette’s eyes narrow with a tiny smile, the blonde clinks their small glasses together, afterwards raising her eyebrows and tilting her head back so the liquid slides down her throat.

Emily does the same and puts the glass down, soon watching Alison make the same, disgusted face with lidded eyes. The brunette giggles at the reaction, getting the response “You think that’s funny?” in return, to which she says, “No, it’s cute.”

Alison licks her lips when she hears the confession, quickly raising her eyebrows and laughing when Emily’s cheeks turn a bright red, completely out-shining the previous color from the alcohol. The blonde shifts closer, ending up on the cushion right next to Emily who takes a deep breath and tries to focus even though it’s getting harder and harder. Alison, upon settling directly next to the other girl, begins to touch the brunette’s hair with a smile.

“Your hair’s a lot lighter than it used to be,” she observes. “I like it a lot.”

Her eyes briefly drift to Emily’s lips, allowing them to linger a bit longer than originally intended until she has to blink a few more times to refocus. To distract herself, she reaches for her drink and takes another few sips, allowing her lips to linger on the rim of her glass because, at this point, she’s gotten too used to the taste and she’s enjoying her time way too much. Emily watches her now, eyes repeatedly bouncing from Alison’s lips to her eyes as she smiles admirably ━ and maybe a bit lustfully.

Again, Mona and Hanna sit at the bar as they take a short break from dancing. They both sip drinks as they eye the two on the couch, sometimes bouncing their eyes over to the dancefloor as they watch Spencer drunkenly dance with Aria who’s had much less to drink. The two on the couch are far more interesting, they agree, so their eyes mainly watch Emily and Alison exchange lustful,  _ very  _ intoxicated glances while seemingly having an overall good time with one another.

“I knew everything would work out,” Hanna twists in her chair. “Am I good, or what?”

“Or what,” Mona speaks absentmindedly.

“Or… what?” the blonde’s eyes narrow. “All I’m saying is that I knew they’d have a great time eventually and we’d all be one, happy family.”

“Mm, but there’s something…  _ more _ . This isn’t  _ only  _ a great time, it’s…” her voice trails off.

“Obviously,” Hanna glares at the girl. “There’s always more, even if no one has the balls to admit it.”

“Do you have the balls?” 

She almost spits out her drink, choking slightly before clearing her throat, “That’s not funny.”

“I can tell the alcohol’s hitting Alison more,” again, Mona speaks absentmindedly as she watches Alison move closer and closer to Emily, practically ending up atop the girl.

“How?”

“For starters, do you not  _ see  _ how drunk she looks?” she deadpans, earning a head tilt from Hanna who glances in their direction, squinting her eyes.

The girl continues, “Second, she never drinks. Obviously it’s━”

“Shh, I think Alison’s going to kiss her,” Hanna looks extremely amused, sipping her drink with wide eyes as she stares over the rim of her glass.

On the couch, the blonde continues to play with Emily’s hair as the tanned girl chuckles at the feeling, somewhat facing Alison while she bites her own bottom lip. Their drinks are almost empty as the shots are  _ completely  _ finished, resulting in two pretty unstable girls as the air seems much hotter than previously ━ also somewhat due to Alison’s closer proximity. 

“You know,” Alison erases even more space between them until her legs are fully pressed against Emily’s, taking in a deep breath and forcing the words out of her throat when they feel stuck, “I really do think━you look so,” she stops and regathers herself, “ _ really  _ beautiful tonight.” 

After a few seconds and a smile from the brunette, she leans in close to Emily’s ear, whispering, “And you smell so damn good.”

Emily snorts at the statement, afterwards laughing hard until Alison backs up and shoots her a look with glossy eyes. The blonde rubs her cheek on the girl’s shoulder, making some disgruntled, irritated noise before sitting straight up and taking a good look at Emily. She moves the girl’s hair to the side, smiling heavily as the brunette turns her body even more.

“Come here,” Alison gently commands, making a grabby-hand motion in Emily’s direction until the brunette complies.

They’re face to face within seconds and, suddenly, Emily just wants to kiss the other girl, so she takes a chance and strokes Alison’s cheek with a dopey smile, leaning forward as the blonde does the same. Before their lips can touch, however, Alison lingers an inch away while whispering, “How badly do you want to kiss me?” 

When Emily licks her bottom lip but doesn’t respond, Alison continues with a seductive, “You’re gonna have to work for it.”

In response, a tiny laugh passes Emily’s lips and she tries to kiss Alison again, earning the same, backing-up response from the girl. As she continues to try, Alison makes a “tsk tsk” sound as she backs up further with a smug grin. 

She gets up a moment later and yanks the brunette with her, almost falling over before rapidly guiding her onto the dancefloor so they’re in the middle of a crowd. Once they’re in a cluster of people with loud music booming behind them, Emily is bumped forward and grabs onto Alison’s lower back quickly as she holds the blonde steady. When she goes to back up, the girl says, “No, stay,” and pulls her closer again, a smile permanently painted across her face as her eyes bounce between Emily’s lips and a glossy, wavering focus. 

Suddenly, the blonde is playing with the girl’s hands as they start to dance. At first, Emily doesn’t exactly know what to do because, well, the room is starting to spin and she has to blink heavily, but she gets the hang of it ━ especially since Alison’s hands start to guide her when it comes to where to go. Emily lets the girl lead but keeps up, laughing as Alison gets closer with every new wave of the song. 

At one point, the blonde turns around so Emily pushes her frontside against her body, still watching Alison drag her hands where she wants them to go ━ which just so happens to be down her stomach and part of her thighs and, fuck, the brunette has to look away because she feels like she’s going to pass out.

She leans her face near the side of Alison’s, cautiously moving with the girl who seems determined to kill her with the way she’s dancing. Their fingers remain entwined for the time being, simply being dragged across the blonde’s body as the people around them pay no attention to the drunk, dancing girls in the center of the room ━ aside from half of their friend group, that is; Hanna and Mona watch with raised eyebrows, though they’re both wearing smiles because they’re just too damn entertained by the sight whereas Aria and a drunk Spencer sit nearby, paying no attention to the scene unfolding.

The brunette takes the initiative to continue, allowing her hands to roam freely around the girl’s body as they both enjoy every second of it. After fifteen more seconds, as Emily presses a gentle yet wet kiss to the spot somewhat behind the blonde’s ear, Alison turns around and grabs the girl’s face. 

Without hesitation, she leans in and kisses her hard as the brunette’s hands grip her waist with an underlying desperation. They kiss at a heated pace until Alison pulls away, staring at the girl in front of her through lidded eyes accompanied by deep breaths. Emily does the same, though her eyes take a while longer to flicker open and focus after blinking a few extra times.

“Let’s get out of here,” Alison forces out the statement before she rubs her lips together deliberately, leaning in and whispering, “Come back to my room,” into the brunette’s ear.

Emily backs up as much as she can and smiles while trying to focus, afterwards nodding a fraction as her expression turns ten times more lustful, eyes purposely drifting downwards while Alison continues to stare at her.

“Mm, I’m sure you’d rather touch, not just look,” a soft laugh falls from the girl’s mouth before she rubs her thumb along Emily’s lower lip. “Or maybe taste.”

“Is that what you━want?” the brunette meshes some words together and blinks hard, swaying as she leans down partially, only to feel a hand roughly tug on hers before she’s being pulled out of the crowd and back toward the couch area so they can grab their small bags. 

Without missing a beat, Alison gives her another smirk and starts pulling Emily over to the door. They pass an assortment of club-goers on their way to the door and Alison nearly trips over someone’s foot a time or two, but the brunette’s eyes roam the girl’s figure as they walk. When the blonde looks backwards, she hums and raises her eyebrows, casually moving Emily’s hand so it’s grasping her backside as the brunette closes some distance between them while they walk. Finally, the two reach the club’s entrance and Emily looks back one, final time before she’s pulled through the doors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Raises hand* I don't think this is what Aria meant when she told Emily to buy Alison a drink…
> 
> Smaller things first: Again, here we have Mona scheming up a storm. I swear, she comes out of absolutely nowhere, just to pay for their drinks with that smug grin. Ah, she's a favorite, for sure. Matched with Hanna, #Vandermarin is in full swing ━ and they'll continue to dish out the facts (*insert trademark symbol here*) throughout the story.
> 
> Another friendship (or, as I call it, a "bro-ship") that's thriving within this story is Toby/Emily. What's their ship name? #Tobily? I have no idea. Whatever. Either way, I admire their sibling-like relationship throughout the chapters, and there are quite a few moments between them, especially because Toby is Emily's next-door neighbor.
> 
> Now for the obvious discussion: Seems like Emily and Alison are much less… how do I put this gently… ready-to-fight-the-other… when they allow themselves to have a good time and let loose ━ until they let too loose after not seeing each other for… how long? Oh yeah. Six years. No matter, things are about to get interesting, especially because there's obviously something between Emily and Alison when they stop being stubborn as hell. I think the majority of their fire/ice relationship comes from the fact that Emily doesn't want to roll onto her back for Alison whereas Alison doesn't know where the line of their "friendship" is (considering what happened), but she's ready to put up a fight if need be.
> 
> If I were you, I'd start getting excited for the next two chapters because, oh man, are they a clusterfuck of stress and entertainment ━ but mostly for the characters.
> 
> Next update: Saturday.
> 
> Oh, regarding the update schedule: These first, four chapters will be updated within three days of one another, but most updates (after chapter four) will be separated by five days. Rest assured, however, I have plenty of shorter, three-day gaps scattered within the schedule.
> 
> Now, continue with your reviews/comments/questions/OMG moments. They've been keeping me entertained while caring for my pup (who just got surgery, for those of you who don't know yet). Until next time, *throws flower petals*.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand we're back.
> 
> Thank you (again) for the love regarding this story and I'm glad most of you seem to be enjoying it a ton. I hope you love this chapter equally as much, even though it's a bit… well… you'll see.
> 
> For those of you who have been curious: My pup's surgery went perfectly and (four days later) she's already back to her old, independent (and loud) self. We just have to keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't attempt to climb stairs, jump, etc. Regardless, Autumn and I appreciate the well wishes and good vibes.
> 
> I'm not going to type too much here because the bottom author's note is ten times longer than this (oops), so have fun reading.

Emily shifts her legs along the mattress, feeling the expensive, soft sheets press against her skin as a grunt forms in her sticky throat, matching the massive pounding in her head. She moves again, rolling fully onto her back as her eyelids press together even more. This time, a small groan passes her lips as she brings the bottom of her palms up to her face, pressing against her eye sockets in hopes that it’ll stop the mounting headache since the window’s curtains above her head are  _ completely  _ open and━ 

Wait, her hotel bedroom doesn’t have a window.

She shoots up in bed, eyes wide as she looks around because, shit, she’s in the wrong room and, as her focus glances to the right, a body lies next to her, blonde hair pressed against the pillows as the girl’s soft, naked back is majorly exposed. Suddenly, her headache gets ten times worse as she bunches the white sheets over her chest, continuing to look around the room while she attempts to pretend that she’s fallen into some twisted dream from her high school years. When her fingertips scrape the fabric that’s clung to her chest, however, her eyes slam shut again because, fuck, it’s real, meaning that  _ of course  _ she slept with Alison last night. 

When she has no idea what to do or how the hell to handle the situation, her legs carefully move to the side of the mattress so she can stand up. As Emily presses her feet to the ground, she has to steady herself for a moment before turning around to gather her scattered things, panicking for a few extra seconds because she can’t find her underwear at first. She keeps quiet the entire time, periodically glancing in Alison’s direction to make sure the sleeping girl doesn’t wake up because, if she does, who knows how she’ll react to the entire thing ━ and who knows if she even  _ remembers _ . 

Emily, herself, can barely remember anything after leaving the club aside from one instance of stumbling into Alison’s room before she was pressed against the door by the blonde who couldn’t make it fifteen more feet ━ and, admittedly, maybe she remembers a bit of when they actually fell into bed. Really, they were both pretty handsy all throughout the hallways as they walked (or basically ran) back to the suite, laughing hard and exchanging lustful glances until they neared the room, instantly causing everything to feel ten times heavier.

The brunette shakes her head; now is not the time to remember these things, especially when she hears the other girl shift along the bed with something that sounds like a whine. Quickly, Emily scrambles to put her dress on ━ save zipping the damn thing because there’s just no time ━ but mentally scolds herself for not wearing something that would allow a bra. Once her heels are in-hand, the girl spots her small purse on the side table and goes to snatch the item without knocking over the half-empty bottle of tequila that sits next to it ━ just a harsh reminder that they continued their little drinking party after leaving the club, causing her to feel a bit pukey but she immediately forces the sensation back down.

When she removes her purse from the table, however, her headache intensifies tenfold before it just… disappears ━ or maybe it strengthens  _ so  _ much that something snaps. Unfortunately for Emily, her mouth opens as she further approaches the side table to find a small stack of papers underneath a pen adorned with the phrase  _ “I do” _ toward the point. Next to the pen is a red, plastic box which she doesn’t bother opening because her eyes catch sight of the top form’s header:  _ “Marriage License.” _ Her eyes widen more than ever before as she reluctantly looks at the paper below, immediately finding the words  _ “Certificate of Marriage” _ meshed into a bundle of fancy lettering with some type of seal next to it, bottomed by two  _ very  _ messy signatures. 

She shakes her head with an inaudible “No, no” as her feet take her back a few steps, nearly stumbling over nothing in particular because she feels like she’s walked into some form of her own personal hell.

Suddenly, flashbacks all but smack her in the face as she stands there, wide-eyed and zoned out while staring at the end table. She remembers the soft, pink lights of a square room, filled in by empty, white chairs that lead to a podium at the end of a short walkway. Her eyes slam shut at the thought, slightly reliving the events because she can practically hear her own, slurred words from last night when the original officiant wouldn’t marry them:  _ “We’ve known each other for over seven years. It’s not like we━like just met.”  _ Her memories recall the man walking away and, as Alison pulled her into the corner of the room to whisper something, license already in-hand, another officiant was heading home but stopped upon seeing the girls.

_ “I’m sorry, do you need something?” _

_ “A wedding.” _

_ “Oh, I can’t━” _

_ “Come on,” Emily tries, looking around with glossy eyes as her throat doesn’t allow her to continue at first, “I’ll pay you… uh━m… triple what the normal thing is, please━please.” _

_ He looks at her, clearly torn as his focus shifts to the blonde who clings to Emily while looking at her with a smile, eyes afterwards darting around the room before relenting. _

Emily blinks heavily as her former headache begins to return, gently rubbing her temple before Alison rolls over with a grunt. Her blue eyes flutter open and, on sight, Emily is bolting through the door right as Alison says, “Good morning.” 

The brunette, exiting the room, tries to get out a mashed-up “Gottagobye” but, really, she has no idea if the girl caught wind of whatever noise it came out as.

Her brown eyes look back into Alison’s room as she walks toward the suite’s front door at a fast pace, the back of her dress still unzipped as she holds her heels and purse. She doesn’t even have time to glance in the mirror while she’s walking but, if she had, she would’ve noticed the bite marks trailing down her neck, and/or her hair which practically screams “I just drunk-fucked for hours” as her makeup does the same. While she’s not paying attention, the brunette collides with Hanna who grunts, immediately looking down and chuckling with an amused “Wow. Haven’t seen that sight in quite some time.”

In response, Emily stops with those same, wide eyes before shaking her head and walking out of the suite, determined to get back into her designated room because she can’t deal with any of this at the moment. So, once she passes over the threshold of the suite from hell, her arm slams the door shut and she looks down both halls, not knowing what time it is but not exactly caring. Without wasting any more time, her feet take her back to her suite so she can think ━ or cry.

 

X X X

 

“How are you not hungover in the slightest?” Spencer blinks heavily as she directs the question at Emily, keeping her head low as the three brunettes move in a line behind the brunch buffet table. “I barely feel like I’m inside my body right now.”

“I kind of had a huge wake-up call this morning,” Emily breathes out and shakes her head, earning an understanding head nod from Aria who grabs a few pieces of toast.

“Fair enough,” comes Spencer’s reply as she follows Emily’s lead.

Once the brunette had stumbled into their suite in some not-so-casual attire, both Aria and Spencer were in the kitchen drinking coffee ━ albeit the shorter brunette was more awake. On sight, they snorted before Emily shot them a deadly glare, quickly shuffling into her room and slamming the door shut. It took a while for her to pace herself out of adrenaline but, eventually, she changed into a more comfortable outfit, afterwards brushing her hair as she tilted her neck to see the colorful marks on the side of her throat. After that, the girl decided not to avoid the topic any longer, so she walked into the suite’s main space to confide in her two best friends.

_ “I think I did something really stupid last night.” _

_ “You think you did? Emily, I’ve never seen you drink that much. Not even half that much,” Spencer’s eyes widen. “Not to mention the fact that you left with Alison and never came back. I may have been drunk off my ass but don’t think I didn’t notice.” _

_ “No, unfortunately that’s not what I’m talking about,” Emily shakes her head and it starts to hurt so she slams her eyes shut. _

_ She finishes, “This is like… the epitome of stupid decisions.” _

_ “Well, what is it?” Aria waits. _

_ “I got married.” _

After that, Spencer snorted and shook her head with a quiet  _ “No, no you didn’t” _ as Aria stared at her, wide-eyed and mouth agape. Eventually, when Emily didn’t add a “Just kidding,” Spencer said,  _ “Seriously, Em. You didn’t, did you?” _

They continue assembling their complimentary breakfast plates in silence until Spencer is speaking again, now sounding like every piece of information is finally hitting her ━ an entire hour later.

“But… seriously? Of all people, you marry Alison DiLaurentis?”

“It’s not like I planned on marrying  _ anyone  _ this weekend, Spencer,” she hisses.

“I mean,” the girl shakes her head in frustration, “how wasted do you have to be to  _ marry  _ someone? God, you haven’t even seen her in… what?  _ Six  _ years? Give or take.”

“To be fair, Spence,” Aria interrupts with a raised eyebrow, leaning forward so she can see Spencer as Emily shuffles between them, “did you really  _ see  _ Em towards the end of last night?”

“I mean… not completely. I was too busy trying to  _ not  _ throw up in my purse,” she makes a face.

Both Emily and Aria make their own varying expressions that practically say “yeah, that sounds about right,” and that’s when Spencer begins again, grabbing her silverware as the other two wait for her to catch up.

“Honestly,  _ how  _ did it even happen? You’re supposed to have a witness, and a meeting beforehand, and━”

“━a sober mindset,” Aria makes a face and shrugs.

“Are you sure that the document’s official?” Spencer asks Emily from where she stands. “They usually take a while to get. It could be a knockoff type of thing.”

“No, it was definitely official,” the tanned girl’s voice sounds tired, remembering the way her (hopeful) eyes scanned the paper for any evidence that it is, indeed, some type of fake certificate, ultimately looking at the ridges of the seal above various signatures and gaining a gross taste in her mouth. 

“Okay, so, when are you divorcing her? Well, technically it'd be an annulment… but you’ll have to do it back home,” Spencer slightly talks to herself until she sees that Emily isn’t responding.

Emily stays silent, playing with the fork she’d recently picked up as she avoids the girl’s question.

“Please tell me you’re not thinking about staying married to her,” she stops her movements as she stands in front of Emily who looks around the room.

Again, no response.

Spencer continues, looking as though she’s about to panic, “Aria, you’ve hung out with the new and improved Alison DiLaurentis. Help me out here. Tell Emily she’s still the same, old Alison in some way, shape, or form.”

They begin to walk together, set to grab a table toward the back of the room like yesterday. Again, the dining hall is pretty much empty aside from a couple of (likely hungover) guests who decided to eat later but, for the most part, they can sit anywhere. Emily walks in front of the other two, attempting to ignore whatever they say because she’s already way too fed-up and conflicted.

Aria eventually drawls, “I mean… she’s different━”

“Aria,” Spencer almost whines, her voice cracking in disbelief.

“No, she really is,” the shorter brunette tries, shooting Spencer a look as they weave around tables. “She’s still an absolute handful, but different.”

“See, Em. She’s still bad news,” they finally sit down. “You can’t handle that.”

“Spencer,” Emily leans across the table with wide eyes once she’s situated, “I didn’t even say five words to her this morning. I don’t know what’s going on. I can barely remember what happened after we went clubbing. I literally woke up with a pounding in my head that got worse once I looked at the bedside table and saw a marriage certificate with a bunch of signatures. I don’t know how it happened if it’s not legal or even  _ possible _ when you’re drunk so, if you can somehow explain it to me,  _ please  _ do,” she hisses at the girl across from her.

Both Spencer and Aria stare at her with wide eyes, afterwards side-eyeing each other. Upon their silence, Emily gives them each another look before playing with the food that covers her plate, not feeling all that hungry but knowing she should eat because, if not, she’ll likely pass out. Actually, she’s surprised she hasn’t thrown up yet, but that’s for an entirely different reason.

Truly, Emily has no idea what she’s going to do about the situation. Honestly, she hasn’t mentioned it to anyone other than Spencer and Aria because, unrealistically, she’s hoping that the entire thing is a hoax or it simply… blows over. She mentally scolds herself for not ripping up the paper and pretending it never happened in the first place but, even if she did, it’s not like someone wouldn’t eventually find out ━ or would they? She leans back in her chair and takes a deep breath, absentmindedly staring at her plate while two pairs of eyes watch her with a tinge of concern and, possibly, regret. Soon, another wave of remembrance hits, though it’s not as foreign because it took place _right_ _after_ they decided to start sharing another bottle of strong alcohol ━ _and before_ they said their vows.

_ The two girls messily kiss while sitting on the king-size bed, having been in this position for only a minute or so because, admittedly, they couldn’t make it into the bedroom at first but, after minutes, they found the strength to depart so they could get more comfortable. That comfort came in the form of cracking open an expensive bottle of tequila, only to pass it back and forth before Alison’s rough grasp finally yanked Emily into the bedroom.  _

_ Even on the way up to the suite, the club’s alcohol conveniently worked its way further into their systems, causing things to seem ten times fuzzier than before they left the dancefloor. Really, Emily doesn’t know if it’s because they began moving quickly or the rise in temperature, but━  _

_ Alison’s nails dig into Emily’s jaw as the brunette whimpers at the feeling, casually sliding her hands up the blonde’s chest and squeezing. Alison, in response, moans into her mouth with a smile, but it’s cut short when Emily’s hands drift downwards before they’re slipping underneath her dress. Suddenly, she pulls back with a pained expression and the brunette’s heavy eyes flutter open, attempting to focus quickly because she knows she’s done something wrong but, realistically, she can’t zone back into the situation at hand. _

_ “I thought you said I could do so much better? Someone,” Alison takes in a sharp breath, “who wants… someone who wants more,” she scrunches her nose and backs up slightly. _

_ “That’s what you deserve, Ali,” Emily frowns and her voice is louder than the other girl’s. _

_ The blonde shakes her head heavily, “No,” and her eyes water. _

_ “Sh, shhh,” Emily strokes her cheek, “I promise,” she puts emphasis on the last word. _

_ “Do you want more?” _

_ “Mhmmm,” she swallows hard and slams her eyes shut before she can fully focus. “Do you?” _

_ “So much,” Alison kisses her again, leaving no room for another answer aside from the brief pauses between sloppy embraces. _

_ “How much?” Emily gets out and reconnects their lips. _

_ At first, the blonde doesn’t answer and seems more determined, partially pushing forward and nearly landing in the other girl’s lap, but she finally backs up with deep breaths and manages to declare, “Marry me,” before leaning in again. _

_ Emily pulls back and looks at the girl who still has her eyes shut, but her lips are sealed a moment later when they’re kissing again. Alison hums against her mouth and gets out a half-muffled “Please be my more” before Emily nods while they kiss with a drunken kind of pace. _

The brunette’s thoughts are broken up by Aria muttering a dreary “Uh oh” as her eyes lock with the angry blonde who storms into the room, followed by Mona and Hanna who walk toward the buffet, unfazed by their third friend. Emily looks between Aria and Spencer with her head ducked, almost like she’s afraid that Alison is going to drag her by the hair all the way back to the chapel to get things “reversed.” Aria and Spencer both glance at Emily with expressions that say “yikes” until the upset blonde is a few feet away, and that’s when they force smiles onto their faces. 

“Good morning, everyone,” Alison greets with a fake-cheery tone ━ and Emily nearly shudders.

“Morning,” two of the brunettes get out but the third remains sitting there, blatantly ignoring the blonde who stands behind her chair.

When Emily doesn’t offer any words, Alison rounds her chair and tilts her head so she can see those brown eyes, silently pleading before choosing to say, “Hey, um, can I talk to you for a minute?”

Again, the brunette remains silent and doesn’t move. Instead, her eyes glance in the direction of her friends because, well, she’s internally panicking and doesn’t━ 

“ _ Honey _ ,” Alison grits her teeth but keeps smiling, “please?”

Emily forces the same facade and nods, soon pushing her chair out as her two friends exchange worried eyes. The tanned girl follows Alison, somewhat passing Hanna and Mona as they head over to sit at the table and eat brunch. 

Meanwhile, Emily grows more and more nervous with every step that’s taken and, by the time they’re at the other end of the dining hall, she’s almost in a puddle of anxiety and/or nothingness. 

Alison stops abruptly, turning around with a fierce, incredulous look written across her features as she opens her arms, silently begging the question “what the fuck did we do?” Suddenly, she’s reaching into her pocket and pulling out the papers that Emily had not-so-willingly caught sight of this morning, now folded and partially crumpled.

“What are these?” Alison waves the bundle of papers in front of her face, absolutely livid and confused.

When Emily doesn’t respond and, instead, stands there with a dumbfounded expression, the blonde pulls the cheap ring off her finger and shows it to the other girl, eyes widening as she next asks, “And what’s  _ this _ ?!”

“You don’t remember  _ anything _ ?” Emily glances around the room, not trusting herself to look into Alison’s eyes because, currently, they’re as cold as can be.

The blonde licks her lips and shifts her jaw, doing the same as Emily while she searches the room, “I thought it was some kind of bizarre dream.  _ All _ of it.”

“You mean nightmare?”

“Not helping,” she grits her teeth again.

On the other side of the room, Hanna and Mona eat their food in content, humming while Spencer and Aria stare at them from across the table. The blonde occasionally looks up to glance in the direction of the two that are arguing on the other side of the hall, afterwards chuckling before she comments, “Looks like those two had a nice night.”

“Mm,” Mona gives a nod.

“Are you kidding me?” Spencer gets out. “Did you  _ not  _ hear about what happened?”

“Oh, we did,” the blonde’s eyes widen, “ _ and _ I saw Emily leaving this morning with a less-than-satisfied look on her face, so I rightfully assumed that something strange happened because, well, let’s be honest━”

“Did Alison say if she remembers anything?” Aria cuts off the blonde’s comments and furrows her eyebrows as she leans forward.

“Um,” Mona squints, “she said she only remembers being at the club, but who knows. She's never one to admit things easily.”

“All  _ I  _ know is that a lot of the room’s alcohol bottles are now opened and they’re not all that cheap since they’re not complimentary,” Hanna huffs. “I'm sure as hell not paying for them.”

“So, what about those two?” Spencer shifts in her seat, nodding her head toward the area behind where she sits. “What are they going to do?”

Hanna and Mona collectively shrug.

“And why aren’t you upset over this?”

“Why would we be upset?” Mona frowns. “They both could use a little… excitement.”

“That’s not  _ excitement _ ,” again, Spencer speaks as her voice cracks.

“ _ Okay _ , but you didn’t see how well they were getting along last night. Before they were plastered, I mean.”

“I saw a great deal of it!” 

“So you admit that they were getting along great?”

Spencer crosses her arms and leans back, not enjoying the feeling of being somehow tricked by Mona. Aria, on the other hand, keeps her mouth shut as she looks around. As Alison and Emily continue to argue further away, Hanna watches with a smirk, soon taking a deep breath and letting out a curt “Okay” as she puts her elbows onto the table, looking like she’s ready to share a secret or formulate a plan.

“How about we have a little fun with this?” she proposes through a smug expression, eyeing each and every girl as they sit around the table.

Two pairs of eyes narrow, but Mona smiles at the blonde who wears a devious grin.

“Explain…” Spencer’s voice is flat and cautious, waiting for more information.

“How about… we make a bet?”

“On what?” it’s Aria’s turn to wonder, but the conversation is quickly derailed when Spencer interrupts.

“I  _ know  _ you’re not suggesting what I think you’re suggesting.”

“What is she suggesting?” Aria nearly squeaks, feeling completely lost.

“Oh, come on, Spencer,” Hanna almost whines, smiling as she shakes the table in eagerness, “don’t tell me you’re not curious to see how this plays out.”

“How  _ what  _ plays out?” her eyes widen. “They got drunkenly married overnight. They  _ should  _ be splitting up at any moment. I know  _ you’re  _ not fazed by this, but━”

“Yeah, they shoulda, woulda, coulda,” Mona makes a face before turning to Aria. “Maybe Spencer didn’t fully notice or  _ want  _ to, but I’m sure you saw something between those two,” she nods toward Emily and Alison who animatedly talk about whatever-it-is, “and I’m also pretty sure them separating isn’t going to be as simple as you think.”

Aria’s lips part once she thinks about the prior night, tilting her head back and forth as if she’s thinking, ultimately earning an excited squeak from Hanna.

“See, Spencer!”

“I don’t like this,” the taller brunette shakes her head. “I refuse to take part in betting on the grounds of their abrupt and completely  _ idiotic  _ marriage.”

“Fine,” her voice flattens and she turns to the shorter girl. “Aria?” she adds with a hopeful smile.

Aria hesitates, quietly whispering, “I don’t know,” as Spencer looks at her with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“Look,” Mona grabs her purse from where it rests on the back of the chair she’s sitting on, “I’ve got…” she rummages through the item and pulls out a piece of paper and pen, quickly writing as she hums, “seven-hundred and thirty.”

“First of all, where the fuck━”

“The drinks wore off sometime after four and I came down to gamble. I hit a few hundreds,” she answers Hanna who frowns afterwards, angry she’s lost nearly everything since she got here.

“You’re seriously willing to bet that much━”

Mona cuts off Hanna once more, “Yes, I am. It’s for a good cause and I’m not going to lose it. They seem to be under the impression that this marriage is going to end quickly, but you and I both know that's not true, one way or another,” her statement ends with eyes that hold a visible reminder, earning parted lips from Hanna who seems less hesitant after.

_ “So who’s going on this Vegas trip, anyway?” Alison asks as she types at her office computer, looking over a small barrier to glance in Hanna’s direction to see the second blonde doing the same. _

_ “Why? Finally decided on joining us?” Mona looks up from her phone, having been scrolling through the device as she sits in a spare, swivel chair within Alison’s cubicle since she had finished her work early so they could head to lunch together ━ though the two others haven’t stopped typing for minutes. _

_ “I told you I can’t,” Alison rolls her eyes. _

_ “Uh…” Hanna finally drawls with an absentminded nature, “just Spencer, Aria, and Emily.” _

_ “Emily?” Alison’s typing briefly stops and Mona side-eyes her but doesn’t say anything, soon watching the blonde start again even though her voice remains sounding mildly caught off-guard. “She’s actually going?” _

_ “Yeah,” Mona pretends she’s not interested in the girl’s tone. “Why?” _

_ “I━I don’t know,” Alison stutters but recovers with a steady voice, “She kinda fell off the face of the Earth for a while, that’s all.” _

_ Hanna breathes out and pushes her keyboard away, afterwards turning off her monitor and standing up to lean over the short wall dividing her office space from Alison’s. She locks eyes with Mona for a few seconds, silently holding an intrigued conversation regarding their third friend. Hanna, being curious, suddenly remembers something and the corner of her lips twitches into a smirk. _

_ “Is that why you were looking at her Instagram page a few weeks ago?” _

_ “Jeez, Hanna, do you always peep over my shoulder?” Alison turns to her for a split second, afterwards facing her computer like before. “How stalker-ish of you,” she flattens her tone. _

_ “I could say the same about you,” Hanna challenges. _

_ “I wasn’t stalking,” Alison half-heartedly hisses. “There’s a difference between stumbling upon someone’s page, and caring enough to constantly stay on their page,” she rants, “which, by the way, I don’t care enough, if you were wondering.” _

_ “We never said we were,” Mona eyes her skeptically, a smirk of her own forming. _

_ “Good,” Alison offers. “I’m done with this. I can’t focus and I’m hungry.” _

_ And, with that, the girl shuts her monitor off and shoves herself away from the desk, immediately snatching her purse and walking away from the two who share constant, confused yet agreeing grins. _

“Okay,” Hanna finally clears her throat, eyes glancing in the direction of Emily and Alison who continue to seemingly bicker before she steals Mona’s piece of paper and writes down her own contribution, “this is my bet.”

Spencer side-eyes the paper and reads the number, feeling more and more pressured ━ yet so,  _ so  _ interested. Aria, on the other hand, looks around the room, takes a deep breath, and laughs as she pulls the paper toward her body, writing down her own bet. When she’s finished, Hanna and Mona glance at the number and smirk, afterwards looking at Spencer who sits there, a conflicted expression cascaded upon her face as her eyes bounce between the three other girls. After thirty more seconds, she breathes out in frustration and writes down a three-digit number of her own, shooting the other girls daggers once she slides the paper back across the table.

“Great,” Mona speaks with a cheery tone, adding everything up, “so… all in all… we’re pooling two-thousand, three-hundred, and fifty.”

“I don’t like this,” Spencer repeats, eyes boring into the table in front of her.

“Too bad,” Hanna flashes a conniving smile, “no take-backs.”

The taller brunette sighs and lays her head into her arms as they’re crossed atop the table, speaking so her voice is muffled, “Rules?”

Mona and Hanna share a look, almost like they’re silently conversing as they wonder what would work best. In the end, they share a smile before turning back to the two brunettes seated across the table. Aria looks mildly nervous whereas Spencer now looks like she’s scolding all three girls for dragging her into the idea.

“If Emily files for divorce━”

“An annulment,” Spencer corrects.

Mona rolls her eyes, “━from Alison, then we get the winnings,” she speaks for Hanna and herself.

Spencer and Aria narrow their eyes.

It’s Hanna’s turn to speak, “But if Alison leaves Emily, then you get the money to split.”

The shortest brunette takes a deep breath and her eyes widen before she turns to Spencer.

“Don’t look at me,” Spencer nearly squeaks out. “You’re the one who roped me into this.”

“I’m interested,” the girl shrugs with a defensive tone. “They have valid points.”

“Okay, okay,” the taller brunette shakes her head furiously, waving her hands as she speaks, “but  _ they’ll  _ never go for this. How do you expect them not to  _ agree  _ on an annulment?  _ Especially  _ if they know you’re betting on their marital mistake.”

Hanna wiggles her finger, “Ah, ah.  _ We’re  _ betting on their mistake,” as she corrects the other girl. “You’re just as filthy as we are.”

Spencer rolls her eyes, “God, we’re such bad people,” burying her face into her hands as her elbows remain leaning on the table.

“Alison’s stubbornness is why they won’t agree to split,” Mona answers Spencer’s question from prior. “She has too much pride to give up. If she knows that anyone on your side is benefiting from her throwing in the towel, she’ll refuse.” 

Hanna nods in agreement, staring at Aria and Spencer as she does so.

“Plus,” Mona continues as she looks around, “Emily seemed a bit hellbent on reminding Alison about what she’s done in the past, so I doubt she’d want to let her win yet again.”

The two girls on the other side of the table share a look; she’s right. Every time Alison is brought up in common conversation, the brunette's body language stiffens due to past events ━ until last night. Possibly, the two assume, Emily never obtained the closure she so desperately longed for, resulting in what appears to be an obsession with gaining the upper hand whether it’s through attitude or her actions.

“I take that as a sign that I hit the nail on the head,” she smirks as Hanna matches the expression, both staring at the two brunettes.

“So… what? We sit back and wait for someone to randomly say, ‘Hey, I’m bored of this. I’m moving on’?” Spencer throws sarcasm at everyone.

“No,” Mona shakes her head, “their obvious desire to one-up each other is going to…  _ snowball _ . Until someone gives up, I mean.”

“You sound pretty confident in this,” Aria narrows her eyes.

“Oh, I am,” comes the smug remark.

“Just for laughs… what happens if they, you know, stay together?” Spencer frowns, causing Mona and Hanna to look at each other. “Since you two wholeheartedly believe that they actually want each other.”

“We all walk away with our original bets. Everyone wins.”

The same brunette groans and rubs at her face with one last “I don't like this.” 

As Emily and Alison begin to approach their group of friends one behind the other, Aria keeps her voice low, directing the question at the girls seated across from her.

“How are we going to keep this between━”

“Hey, you two,” Mona cuts her off and snaps at Emily and Alison who, soon, stand next to the table, “we’re making bets.”

Alison chuckles, “On what?”

“Your marriage,” Hanna smirks and the second blonde’s face falls flat, turning to see Emily wearing the same kind of embarrassed expression.

Alison clears her throat and forces a smile as she takes the comment with a grain of salt, “Well, I hope no one bet too high because we’re going to find someone to take care of it right now. I’m not waiting until we get back to the East Coast.”

Spencer glances at Hanna and Mona who don't seem moved by Alison's statement. In fact, Hanna is still partly smirking whereas Mona narrows her eyes as if she's trying to read the blonde standing nearby.

When no one speaks for an extended amount of time, Alison mutters, “We’ll be back,” before she turns and walks away, Emily only a few, annoyed steps behind.

“Some things never change, do they, Emily?”

The brunette in question turns around, narrowing her eyes at Mona who stares back at her. Hanna hides her smile successfully, keeping on a poker face as Spencer and Aria nervously glance between all four others.

“I don't know what you mean,” she shakes her head with a frown, waiting for Mona to explain.

“It's just…” the dark-haired girl takes a deep breath and looks at Hanna, pretending that she's been thinking long and hard about this, “I don't know. I’ve been thinking. Remember when we were in high school and you had that crush on Alison?”

Emily looks around awkwardly, shifting her jaw as Alison stands behind her, eyes narrowed at her two best friends. 

Alison tries to interrupt, “Seriously? We don't have time for━”

Mona continues, speaking over Alison, “She used those feelings when it was convenient for her and then threw you away. She won. What's different from this situation?”

“Yeah, Em,” Hanna interjects with a sympathetic tone. “Ali got you into another sticky situation after using you for the night and, now, you're letting her get away with it.  _ Again _ .”

Spencer wants to roll her eyes so hard at the tactic, more so because both Hanna and Mona sound so fake right now, but she sees memories swirling in Emily's brown eyes as the girl frowns, so she stays focused with her mouth shut.

“ _ I _ didn't get her into anything,” Alison steps in front of Emily. “We both fucked up.”

“If I remember correctly,  _ you _ were the one who became pretty handsy at the club last night,” Aria comments ━ though it's not a complete lie.

She adds a “Just saying” when Alison glares at her.

“Excuse me? She didn't do herself any favors by touching me while we danced,” the blonde shoots toward everyone.

“I didn't have much of a choice when you were guiding my hands,” Emily mutters, looking away.

Hanna internally smirks, biting her lower lip as she tries to regain her best stone-like face.

“I wouldn't have guided your hands anywhere if they hadn't been all over me before that,” the girl now turns to Emily.

“That was  _ not _ my fault,” the brunette throws back. “You pulled me onto the dancefloor and the room was crowded.”

“Oh, nice excuse,” Alison scoffs in amusement.

All four girls sit there as they watch the debate, eyes bouncing back and forth whereas Spencer side-eyes Mona who slightly smirks. Aria and Hanna, on the other hand, watch the blonde and brunette like hawks. 

“If I was _ looking _ to touch someone, don't you think I would've chosen someone a bit less… you?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“You know what it means,” she crosses her arms.

“I wouldn't even  _ present  _ myself as an option to you, anyway,” the blonde looks angry even though she attempts to seem further entertained. “Why would I care if you came after me?”

“I don't  _ want  _ you as an option!”

“You used to,” comes the smug remark.

“Past tense.”

“Mm, that's not what you were saying last night.”

“Oh, so you  _ do _ remember,” Emily suddenly smirks, especially when Alison seems to visibly back off, eyes narrowed as she frowns.

“It was a one-time thing,” Alison breathes out in frustration. “This is why I don't drink. I should've never accepted your offer, in the first place.”

Emily takes a step back and nods while pursing her lips, “Yeah, I remember you using a similar ‘one time’ excuse years ago. More than once, actually. Funny.”

“This isn't some game, Emily! It was a mistake.”

“Then escape,” the brunette shrugs as if it's obvious, wide-eyed as she stares at the girl in front of her while four pairs of looks are shot their way.

She continues, “Leave. Blame everyone else and run away like always.”

“I don't blame everyone else and run away,” the blonde snickers.

“You just blamed me for like… three things!”

“Because it was your fault!”

“Then why are you still here? Go get a divorce-annulment- _ thing _ ,” Emily points toward the large doors located at the end of the room. “ _ I _ sure as hell don’t want this, so go,” she stares at her with expectant eyes. 

Alison crosses her arms, “No.”

The brunette nearly loses it, “What do you mean━”

“No,” she repeats.

“Oh my God,” Emily walks away, rubbing her head as she lingers a few feet further. “You were  _ literally _ just saying how━”

“No,” Alison cuts her off and lets out a curt, dark chuckle as she approaches the other girl, finger pointed in her face. “You know what? You're stuck with me. You want to piss me off so badly? Fine. You got your wish. Now you get to deal with what comes after.”

Emily doesn't respond, causing the blonde to give her one last look and a sharp “Good luck,  _ baby _ ” before she walks away from the group with a furious body language. 

The brunette stands there, eyebrows furrowed as she tries to figure out what the hell just happened, and it takes another solid minute before she turns to see four pairs of eyes trying to act as if they weren't watching the entire altercation with amusement.

Within seconds, Emily rubs her face in distress, somehow catching sight of her palm covered in writing. She tilts her head to the side, hardly making out what the sloppy, faded letters say:  _ “I bet on you.”  _

Next, the girl breathes out and walks away so she can storm up to the suite, leaving the remaining four girls sitting in the same spot.

Once the brunette is out of earshot, Mona chuckles and mutters, “ _ Or _ just let Emily piss Alison off and that’ll get the game going.”

Spencer and Aria share a look, afterwards locking eyes with the two across the table as they linger in the dining hall for a bit longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These girls… each of them… have the moral compass of a squirrel. Ah well, when in Vegas, it's time to get dirty; they call it Sin City for a reason.
> 
> Disregarding the story's summary (and inserted, based-on movie title), did anyone predict this happening? Like… did anyone see these two getting drunk-married? I don't think anyone guessed it in the comments/reviews, but who knows what ya'll were thinking in your head.
> 
> *Side-eyes Mona and Hanna* Again with the scheming. And they roped Sparia into it. Peer pressure is a bitch and we're a great, big ball of fun (and completely idiotic) ideas. But, hm… suspicious. Clearly they know something that Spencer/Aria don't… especially given that flashback. With that being said, I know that a few of you (likely) think that the entire "bet" is completely out of selfishness, but there are underlying reasons as to why they want to glue these two together. Perhaps it's because of noticeable chemistry, or maybe it's simply something along the lines of "work your shit out because we're tired of dealing with it." Either way, you have to understand that Emily and Alison, themselves, initially created this mess of a situation and now they have to live with it (thanks to their attitude).
> 
> Nevertheless, I think you'll enjoy the Alison/Mona/Hanna friendship once we actually get into it. Don't worry. If you do, indeed, want to see retribution in some way, shape, or form, karma is a repetitive theme within the entire fic, so I'm sure you'll see something happening.
> 
> Sometime during this chapter, Aria says, "She's still an absolute handful, but different," regarding Alison. This entire "different" thing (the word, itself) is going to evolve throughout the story and I suggest you pay attention to it. Just a tip.
> 
> Okay no, but seriously. Who pokes and prods at someone they know can get a bit… feisty? Emily, whatinthehellareyoudoing? I admire the bravery, but c'mon. Alison, on the other hand… girl, who traps someone in an accidental marriage out of spite? The "Uh oh" reactions won't stop here. We have some ways to go before they calm the hell down, but perhaps that's the best part. Who can out-spite the other? Stay tuned because it's bound to get rocky.
> 
> Anyway, Alison is about to give Emily a run for her money (or Sparia, technically), but Emily is going to do exactly the same. Next chapter will certainly answer a few more questions regarding what's going on inside Alison's head (yay, background info!), what'll happen next between the two, and if Emily has what it takes to "compete" with Alison.
> 
> Next update (A.K.A. the final, Vegas chapter): Tuesday.
> 
> Until then, you know what to do but of course I'll say it again: comment, review, question me, bitch at me, love me, whatever else. I'll be sitting in my email until Tuesday (and even after that because I have no life).


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Rubs hands together* I'm relieved everyone's excited to see how this plays out.
> 
> The day I posted Ch 3, I went out shopping with my sister and suddenly I was sitting in the Pizza Hut parking lot laughing at your reviews because I think we're all a bit stoked to see what these two have in store for one another.
> 
> I guess we can all agree that this story is lighter than my other stories. Right? Good. We'll (likely) be reading this fic until around the middle of this, final PLL half-season, so get comfortable.
> 
> I'm updating this ahead of schedule because the Northeast is supposed to be getting hit with a huge snow storm that could potentially knock my power out for a good chunk of the day, so I wanted to make sure I got this chapter to you, as promised. But don't worry… I'll still manage to check my emails all throughout the day so spam me with comments!
> 
> Go ahead and read.

As Alison paces the suite’s master bedroom, her phone buzzes ━ for the fifth time ━ while it rests upon the bedside table. She hears the noise and ignores it as much as she can, continuing to walk back and forth at a furious pace.

Just five minutes ago, she stormed through the suite’s front door after leaving the girls downstairs, immediately stalking into the bedroom so she could cool off. A lot of good that did, she muses, because now she’s staring at the messy sheets and gritting her teeth together before letting out a loud, angry groan while throwing her head back. As her eyes get lost in the carpet beneath her feet, she hears the front door open before her two best friends enter, quickly catching sight of Alison as they approach the room’s opening.

“Hey…” Hanna doesn’t exactly know what to say, “are you okay?”

Alison shoots her a look, causing the other blonde to raise her hands in surrender with a calm “A simple no would’ve sufficed.”

In response, Alison rolls her eyes and moves over to the closet, shifting her clothing items with new determination and a flat line covering her mouth. As she furiously whips through a bundle of dresses, Mona and Hanna move over to the bed and sit, cautiously paying attention to the girl who seems even angrier than before. 

For an extended amount of time, the two remain silent and exchange wide-eyed glances before facing the third girl again, listening to her mutter incoherent things to herself. As she continues to speed-walk around the room like she’s set on finding or doing something, Mona speaks.

“Are you seriously staying married to Emily?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not going to let her walk all over me when I didn’t do shit. She can be pissed at what happened years ago all she wants, I don’t care, but she’s not about to blame me for this. If she wants a fight, I’ll give her one,” Alison fumbles through her bag, gathering a pair of black heels, bottomed with red.

“What are you going to do, hm?” Mona wants to roll her eyes. “Handcuff her wrist so she can’t coach swim practice?” she throws sarcasm at the girl.

No response.

“You can’t just  _ trap _ someone in a marriage, Alison,” the dark-haired girl lectures with crossed arms and Hanna’s eyes widen as she gives the girl a look, earning a pointed, “don’t worry” kind of stare.

“Watch me,” the second blonde continues to walk around the room whilst preparing her outfit for the night’s festivities.

“Okay, then,” Mona clears her throat, “is this going to be a forever thing, or…?”

“I’m just focusing on the now,” Alison raises the dress to eye level, tilting her head as she studies the black garment.

“And what are you focused on doing in ‘the now’?”

“Making my wife suffer.”

Hanna raises her eyebrows and looks away, feeling secondhand nervousness on Emily’s behalf. She breathes out and sits next to Mona who gains a silence now, both still watching Alison assemble her outfit. They see the girl gather a tube of red lipstick, her sexiest black dress, the selected heels, and perfume, both wondering what’s going through the blonde’s mind because this is already picking up speed and it’s somewhat concerning. Soon, the dark-haired girl pulls out her phone and sends a text to Aria, afterwards placing the device next to her on the bed.

“Okay, Alison,” Hanna shakes her head and breaks the mounting silence, “before you get further into this marriage thing, I have to tell you something. Both of you, actually.”

Upon hearing her tone, they look at her with mostly concerned eyes. Alison stops moving around and stands nearby with her forehead creased in confusion. Mona, sitting next to Hanna, stares at the girl with a frown. The blonde in question takes a deep breath before confessing to what’s been on her mind ever since she watched Emily leave this morning.

“Towards the end of high school…” she begins, pausing shortly after, “Emily and I kind of… hooked up.”

“You  _ what _ ?” Mona actually seems stunned by the information.

“I wanted to experiment and, I don’t know, it just sort of happened.”

“How does something like that just  _ happen _ ?” the girl narrows her eyes as Alison is silent.

“It was years ago,” Hanna looks at Alison, ignoring the other girl’s question.

Alison hesitates with crossed arms before shrugging with a curt, breathy snicker, “Why would I care? It’s not like I really want to be with her.”

She turns around and the two others roll their eyes in sync. 

Soon, Hanna puts her hands in her lap as she speaks knowingly, “Because I remember that you used to have a small crush on her, and━”

“That was  _ also  _ years ago,” Alison cuts her off mid-sentence, spinning around with a warning look written across her features. “I don’t even know if it was a crush. I probably just liked the attention she gave me.”

Again, they roll their eyes.

“By the way,” the fierce blonde starts again, attempting to change the subject, “care to tell me  _ why  _ you decided to gang up on me down in the dining hall?”

“We weren’t ganging up, per se,” Hanna makes a face.

Mona intervenes, talking over Hanna, “Because we actually made a bet.”

“You what?” Alison looks at them with wide eyes. “I thought you were kidding.”

“No,” Hanna offers a sheepish grin before sighing. “Vegas has turned me into a greedy person,” the same expression remains on her face as Mona turns to her, eyebrow raised.

“Don’t blame Vegas.”

“Wait, what’s the bet on?” Alison shakes her head whilst attempting to get back to the initial topic.

“We want to see who’s going to cave and leave first,” the other blonde explains, feeling guilty now that they’re actually confessing.

“But we have faith in you,” Mona adds.

“Good,” Alison purses her lips, “because, like I said, she’s stuck with me.”

“So… you’re not mad?” 

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m getting a larger cut of whatever you guys make since you decided to light the lamp under our asses downstairs, but no, I’m not mad,” she blinks innocently at the two who sigh heavily, not enjoying the turn of events.

Before anyone can speak again, Alison’s phone buzzes on the bedside table, earning a huge groan from the blonde as she rubs her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Mona frowns.

“It’s Gabe,” she waves her hand in a tired manner, afterwards pinching the bridge of her nose. “I sort of… drunkenly posted a picture of Emily and I on Instagram last night, so he’s been blowing up my phone all day.”

As she explains, Hanna pulls out her own phone and logs into Instagram, immediately searching for Alison’s account and finding the picture. She snorts at it before showing Mona who reacts the same way, chuckling because Alison’s lips are practically  _ on  _ Emily’s and it’s totally  _ not  _ platonic-looking. 

Alison rolls her eyes at the reactions, “I’m glad you find this so funny.”

“Well, come on, he’s such a fuss-bucket, anyway,” Mona throws out. “He was going to find something new to bitch about sooner or later.”

“Actually,” the same blonde says through an exhale, “he’s been  _ bitching  _ at me since yesterday afternoon.”

“What? Why?” 

“And why didn’t you tell us?” Hanna adds.

“I was trying to ignore him,” she walks over and grabs her phone, giving it to her friends so they can scroll through the messages.

As the girls read, they note that Alison never responded once ━ thankfully. Throughout his one-sided conversation is an assortment of mental threats and insults, mixed in with various pet-names that make them both cringe.

“Alison, this is  _ not  _ okay. Why is he saying these things?”

“Keep scrolling up,” Alison directs.

They do as told, eventually reaching a text that reads:  _ “I know you’re in Vegas. Stupid bitch. Office trip, huh? Have fun fucking dudes in Sin City. Don’t you dare come back here.” _

“Ali…” Hanna comments, not knowing what else to say because, really, she should know that she doesn’t deserve this.

She continues, “How does he know where you are?”

“He knows how to track me,” Alison swallows hard. “His old friends in the police department, they━”

“You’re not going back there,” Mona forcibly shakes her head and interrupts. “I’m not letting you.”

“And I already told you that, too,” the other blonde adds. “No way. You can stay with me, if you need.”

“I don’t know,” she chews her lower lip. “Maybe he’ll━”

“No, he  _ won’t _ ,” both girls speak with force before Mona lectures, “You should know that by now.”

Alison suddenly looks like she’s about to cry and swallows hard, forcing the tears to disappear as she avoids the girls’ eyes. Mona and Hanna, however, stare at her with tilted heads, both looking sympathetic yet ready to get the point across once and for all.

It’s not that Alison stays with him because she  _ wants  _ to or because she's too scared to leave, but more so due to the fact that she has nowhere  _ real  _ to go and, if she did, she knows she’d be completely out of sorts. On the other hand, there is  _ some _ fear of the man in general, not that he's ever gotten physically violent; he's just super emotionally and verbally abusive. For years, she’s dealt with this off-and-on relationship in hopes that it’d go back to how it was before, but obviously that hasn’t happened and likely never will. 

After Holbrook got fired from Rosewood P.D., they happily moved more toward Philadelphia, hoping that they could start over together. After all, a lot of people had frowned upon their relationship to begin with because, let’s be real, they’re nowhere near the same age and she knew him while she was still in high school. So, once they left, Alison grew happier because she knew she’d be seeing her best friends again, eventually landing a solid job alongside Mona and Hanna in a decent office building. Gabriel, seeing Alison's success, decided to slack off and stay at home more and more as the days passed, eventually earning him a thriving alcohol habit. This caused him to become rough-worded and disgusting in addition to the fact that he made every attempt to “domesticate” Alison ━ with the term first being coined by Mona.

Even with the blonde’s paychecks, he’d take the money and buy whatever-the-fuck with it, leaving little to no room for critical expenses, thus resulting in their crappy, run-down house. She got used to it, however, and made the building her “home” as much as possible. Regarding her job’s earnings, on the other hand, Alison didn’t lose her cunning element entirely; one day, she approached Holbrook to let him know that her salary had been cut due to budget though it wasn’t true in the slightest. Really, she had earned a raise, but this left enough wiggle room to store whatever money she needed in a few, separate accounts and in a secret spot within the house ━ just in case. 

“Earth to Alison,” Hanna waves her hand in front of the girl’s face.

“Sorry,” she shakes her head and blinks hard.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know yet,” now, the blonde walks away and rummages through her bags.

“Are you still coming out tonight?”

“ _ Yeah _ ,” she drawls, “why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know,” Mona shrugs. “I wasn’t sure if you’d want to stay in because of…” she gestures to Alison’s phone.

The girl scoffs, “I have more important things to deal with,” casually moving into the bathroom to shower.

The two girls sitting on the bed share a look, this time filled with worry because now they understand that Alison is using this competition to cover up some deep-rooted hurt and, frankly, that’s not going to end well. Sadly, they somewhat got the ball rolling on this “marriage trap” with the stupid bet, so they collectively sigh and shake their heads, determined to make today’s transition as smooth as possible.

 

X X X

 

“Alison,” she hears her name being called from the suite’s main room, “are you ready yet?” the same voice drones, acting as if she’s been getting ready for hours because, wait, she  _ has  _ been. 

Her lips curve into a smirk, deliberately eyeing herself in the full-length mirror as she arches an eyebrow. A hum exits her throat a minute later; admittedly, she looks like she’s set on killing someone ━ which she is. A tight, black dress covers (most of) her figure, only showing skin along the sides and her back through classy cut-outs, and heels accessorize her feet. To top off the outfit, red lipstick shades her mouth while dark makeup rests on her eyelids, and blonde hair cascades down her shoulders with wavy ends. Additionally, sometime during the day, the girl had Hanna paint her nails black with pieces of glitter here and there ━ but that’s primarily because they were bored.

“ _ Alison _ ,” Hanna stands in the doorway, hands on her hips as she tilts her head to the side, “are you coming, or not?”

“Of course I am,” she grabs her small purse, immediately peeking into the item to check if she has everything.

When her eyes scan the contents and find what she’s looking for, a smile crosses her features and she brushes past Hanna who remains standing in the doorway. Mona, upon seeing Alison walk into the room, gets out an impressed “Wow,” followed by the comment “You  _ really  _ want to torture her, don’t you?”

“What gave it away?” Alison smirks, earning an eyebrow raise from the dark-haired girl as Hanna follows them through the door. 

Before Mona locks the room, she turns toward the other two with one last “Ready?” and, when she earns a round of head nods, the barrier latches behind her.

“Time to go find my wife,” Alison’s tone is cheery, but it’s a fake-sweet declaration and the girls who walk behind her share a “here we go” type of look, followed by Hanna breathing out with raised eyebrows.

They make it to the elevators quickly, thanks to Alison’s fast pace for whatever reason, and the three gather inside the metal box as Hanna’s eyes glance in the other blonde’s direction repeatedly. Mona notices but doesn’t say anything, mentally deciding that she’ll ask once they’re away from Alison because, in simple terms, Hanna doesn’t do well in “put on the spot” situations ━ take yesterday morning, for example.

“Are we meeting them in the lobby?” Alison questions.

“No,” Mona stares at the doors, “Aria said they’ll be waiting for us in front of the club.”

“Perfect,” comes the devious smile.

Instead of heading to another new club tonight, Aria and Mona decided that it’d be best if they met up at the first night’s club. Really, they would’ve chosen last night’s destination because it was overall more impressive, but who’s to say that Emily and Alison wouldn’t feel a bit… reminiscent? So, ultimately, they went for the closer location ━ just in case someone needs to abruptly “escape” back to their suite. 

The elevator dings and they’re making their way through the halls at a steady pace. Alison leads her friends who linger further behind, Mona looking at Hanna every now and then as she purposely bumps into her shoulder. In response, the blonde offers her a tiny smile before paying further attention to the floor in front of her.

Five minutes later and the sound of thumping music is attacking their eardrums. At first glance, they don’t see the others anywhere but, soon, Aria and Spencer appear. When Alison doesn’t spot the third brunette, she squints her eyes, but her internal questions are answered once the girl rounds a corner and comes into view. Emily is wearing a nice blouse, tight, dark jeans, and boots while her hair falls against her shoulders like usual. For a moment, Alison shakes her head heavily and purses her lips, afterwards forcing a smile ━ though it’s not caught by Emily because she’s too busy avoiding the blonde completely.

Soon after this morning’s run-in with Alison at brunch, Emily headed back up to the suite before throwing herself onto the couch, legs bent and dangling over the furniture’s arm as her back pressed against the cushions. Within minutes, Aria and Spencer unlatched the door and filed into the room, both standing in the center of the living space with their arms at their sides.

_ “Was there any point during last night that you thought of, oh, I don’t know… telling me to slow the fuck down?” Emily groans as she sits up, staring at the girls who stand nearby. _

_ Aria and Spencer share a regretful look before the taller girl speaks, “I wasn't exactly setting the best example, at the time.”  _

_ The girl next to her seems nervous, “I just thought you and Alison were having fun! I didn’t want to interrupt.” _

_ “Oh, we had lots of fun, thanks.” _

_ When neither of her friends respond, Emily lets out another groan ━ this one longer ━ and flops back onto the couch while rubbing her face, “God, I can’t believe she’s making me stay married to her.” _

_ She sits up and looks at Spencer, “Can she even do that?” _

_ Spencer seems as if she’s thinking, “Well, technically you can file for an annulment by yourself, but you have to do it back home and it’ll take longer if she fights it with valid evidence… like a ring and documents…” _

_ “How much longer?” _

_ Aria gives the girl next to her a panicked, “do something” face before Spencer speaks, throwing her voice to Emily who is lying back down and staring at the ceiling, “Maybe you should watch this play out, Em.” _

_ “Are you kidding me, Spencer?” again, she forces herself to sit up. “You were practically down my throat before and now you’re━” _

_ “I’m only suggesting. Maybe this will somehow be good for you. Maybe… it’ll give you some closure,” she tries. “I mean, no offense but you really don't have anything else to do right now.” _

_ “What do you mean ‘no offense’? Of course that’s offensive. I work.” _

_ “Barely!” _

_ Silence. _

_ “All I’m saying is that you never know what could happen,” the girl shrugs. _

_ “I know you’re not suggesting that we could, somehow, fall for each other. Do you not remember what happened━” _

_ “Of course we remember what happened,” Aria interrupts, “but you’re different now and so is Alison. You never know.” _

_ “And…” Spencer breathes out, “we were kind of serious… downstairs. When we said that we made a bet,” her voice is cautious. _

_ Emily frowns, “What do you mean?” _

_ “Mona and Hanna presented us with a challenge. They think Alison is more stubborn than you are, so you’re bound to leave her quicker.” _

_ “I wish I could!” _

_ “You can, if you really want to,” it’s Aria’s turn to breathe out, feeling guilty. “It was a stupid idea, honestly.” _

_ “Yeah, it was,” the tanned girl answers pointedly. “We’re all having a lot of those, lately.” _

_ “So, what are you going to do?” Spencer wonders aloud. “Are you going to… split?” _

_ Emily seems to be thinking for a few moments, rocking back and forth a fraction as she bites her inner cheek. Her two best friends glance at one another, waiting for an answer ━ and it finally comes. _

_ “No,” she looks up, “I’m going to do this. I need to do this. She’s haunted me for so long and I’m tired of it. There’s no way I’m going to give her the satisfaction of hearing me say that I give up. If she wants to lock me inside this marriage, I’ll do the same exact thing to her.” _

That mindset didn’t last too long because, within the following minute, Aria received a text from Mona that read,  _ “Alison is dressing to kill tonight. You better warn Emily because I don’t want her to fold too soon :)” _ , and Emily rolled her eyes before storming into her room to mentally prepare for the night ahead. 

Now, as her brown eyes roam Alison’s body, she thanks Mona for warning her because, if she hadn’t━ 

“See something you like?” the blonde approaches with a smirk, having been silent and stone-faced until now.

All sense of personal space is lost as Emily tries to stand her ground but wavers, only stepping backwards a foot as Alison laughs.

“Hm, you’re dressed up nice again,” her blue eyes drag down the brunette’s body as she circles the girl, intentionally admiring her outfit. “Looking to go home with someone?” she comes to a standstill directly at Emily’s side, watching the girl stare ahead at the entrance whilst trying to breathe.

Another smirk covers her red-lined mouth before she leans in closely and whispers, “That makes two of us,” before walking away and successfully making it past the bouncer.

Emily’s eyes narrow and follow the girl, causing her to stand in place for an extra minute before looking to the ceiling, taking a deep breath, and internally declaring,  _ “Game on.” _

So, when she’s ready, she smiles at the bouncer and enters the dark, strobe-lit club a moment later, immediately walking over to where the others stand at the bar.

The two married girls are separated by their four friends as the bar curves so they’re almost standing across from one another, quietly flashing glares and bitter smiles every now and then. Occasionally, the four girls’ eyes bounce back and forth, genuinely concerned because it feels as though they’re stuck in the middle of an icy battlefield. 

“Hey, Ali,” Emily calls across the bar with a taunting voice, “I don’t see your wedding ring. Did you give up already?”

“It’s cute that you think a cheap wedding ring symbolizes our marriage,” she throws back, earning a round of chuckles from everyone who stands between them.

“Maybe it doesn’t symbolize our marriage, but ‘cheap’ sure as hell defines it,” her eyebrows raise as she smiles, followed by four other side-eyes that shoot in Alison’s direction.

Before the blonde can retaliate, Emily gestures for the bartender and he walks over, tilting his head so he can hear her. 

“She’d like a Cosmo, thanks,” the brunette points at the girl who stands furthest away, casually sliding some money across the bar and earning a solid head nod from the guy before he walks away.

Alison rolls her eyes heavily before glaring at Emily who waves at her, a bitter expression covering her features. Within seconds, the brunette steps away from the bar and walks off into the crowd, determined to get lost because, at this point, it’s her best bet. 

She makes her way over to a side table and sits down, immediately taking a deep breath as she watches the bartender slide Alison’s drink across the surface. Her lips inadvertently turn into a genuine smile when she remembers the start of last night, but quickly shakes her head and groans because, really, now is not the time ━ or  _ no time _ is the correct time.

Minutes pass and she begins to lean her cheek on her fist, clearly bored since she came into the night with a plan and, yeah, that’s going great ━  _ not _ . Her eyes flicker a few times due to exhaustion but, when she sees a dark-haired man approach Alison at the bar with some dopey grin on his face, she straightens her back and watches. Much to her annoyance, she can tell that he’s flirting heavily with the blonde and, judging by the way Alison finds Emily and smirks, the girl’s planning on flirting equally as much. Emily presses her tongue to the inside of her cheek and makes a distasteful face, determined to look away because the sight of men forcing themselves upon the girl is disgusting.

Looking toward the entrance, she debates on leaving entirely; this situation is too annoying to handle and, if her friends hadn’t bet on her stupid mistake, she would’ve left for Baltimore by now, solely to file for a quick split. Unfortunately, Emily’s too determined to outsmart the blonde this time; she’s far more mature than her younger self and, now, she wants to make it known that Alison isn’t the old “queen” that she once was.

“Thanks for the drink,” Alison’s cheery voice makes Emily shudder because it’s so fake and so,  _ so  _ conniving.

The brunette looks at the girl and offers a tight-lipped smile, noting the fact that Alison is lacking her purse as if she’s going to dance.

She continues, “I’m sure the guy I’m with will  _ love  _ the taste.”

Before Emily can get a word in edgewise, Alison is leaning down to whisper in her ear, “I know  _ you _ did.”

Again, the brunette doesn’t get a chance to respond before the other girl is flashing her a smile and walking off, pulling some dude onto the dancefloor. Emily breathes out and shakes her head, immediately standing up and weaving through the crowd of people in order to get back to the bar where her friends stand. 

As she approaches, four heads whip in her direction before they act like they haven’t been paying attention to everything that’s happened since they arrived, and Emily rolls her eyes at their lack of subtle body language. 

She sits down without saying a word, propping her elbows up onto the bar as she looks around.

“Hanging in there, Em?” Aria questions with evident sympathy, but Emily narrows her eyes because she can tell how amused each and every one of her friends are. 

“I’m fine,” her voice is flat.

Mona leans over, “If it’s any consolation, Alison keeps looking over here.”

“I’m sorry, why are you telling me this?” Emily raises an eyebrow.

“Because I know you need a little firepower and that girl over there seems willing to help,” she nods at another, new blonde who sits on the other side of the bar, occasionally glancing in Emily’s direction.

When the brunette’s eyes lock with hers, she smiles before looking away, seeming kind of nervously put-off by the fact that they made eye contact.

Emily sighs and turns back to Mona, “I don’t want to  _ use  _ her. I’ll feel bad.”

“Emily, we’re in a Vegas club on a Sunday night. Are you expecting people to be looking for their forever pal?”

Again, she sighs, mostly because she knows Mona is right but doesn’t want to openly admit it. It’s okay, however, because the dark-haired girl smiles before sipping her drink and turning around to talk to the others once again. 

Emily, on the other hand, takes a deep breath and stands up before glancing in Alison’s direction for a brief moment. The blonde isn’t looking back at the time, but her dancing partner’s hands roam down her waist as they’re pressed against one another. So, forcing a little confidence, Emily approaches the new blonde across the bar and smiles as much as she can.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” she mentally smacks herself for her lack of flirting tactic.

The girl laughs and gestures to the chair, allowing Emily to get situated before silence quickly takes over. Meanwhile, she panics on the inside because the girl next to her doesn’t seem to care much, so her hands tap along the bar’s surface.

“Hey, bartender,” the girl suddenly calls out, somewhat stunning Emily because she’s been silent for over a minute.

He turns around to face the blonde girl, eyebrows raised expectantly. 

“Two of your best shots, please,” she smiles.

A head nod is returned before the girl turns to Emily, casually saying, “I’m Lexie.”

The brunette forces a smile and returns the introduction, “Emily,” whilst nodding her head.

Two shots are placed in front of Lexie a moment later and brown eyes drift to the liquid, remembering the previous night and━ 

“Here you go,” the small glass is slid in front of Emily who eyes the item, somewhat debating on whether or not she should take it.

When she looks up to see Alison watching them with a frown, however, she smiles at the girl next to her and grabs the shot.

“You’ve said two words to me, yet you’ve already bought me a shot?” Emily smirks while holding the still-full, small glass, earning a sheepish smile from the girl.

“I figure it’s easier to get comfortable when loosened up a bit,” her own smirk crosses her lips, earning an agreeing hum from Emily before they share a look and down the two drinks.

“So,” the girl pushes the shot glass away, “are you from… around here?”

“Mm, no,” Emily purses her lips. “I’m from Baltimore, actually.” 

“Okay,  _ far _ ,” her eyes widen and the brunette laughs while nodding. “I’m visiting from Cali.”

“Exciting,” she comments with raised eyebrows.

“You’d think that,” Lexie chuckles.

“Yeah, sorry,” Emily looks away while smiling, “I guess I’ll always have that ‘California is such a different world’ mindset.”

“Fair enough,” she nods. “Anything beyond east of Texas is foreign to me.”

“How’d we go from introducing ourselves, to taking shots, to talking about states?” the brunette’s voice is teasing.

The girl shrugs, “Maybe we’re just that spontaneous.”

“ _ Spontaneous _ ,” Emily repeats with raised eyebrows. “That’s definitely the word to describe me.” 

“You sound sarcastic.”

“For the most part,” she chuckles, causing the girl next to her to laugh.

Again, Emily looks up to see Alison staring in their direction, a severe frown covering her face as she attempts to stay in-tune with the music. The dark-haired man continues to move behind her, hands on her hips as he pays no attention to her stiff body language. Without giving the blonde any sort of acknowledgement, Emily turns back to Lexie who stands up.

“Dance with me,” she more so declares rather than asks the brunette.

Emily’s lips part but she doesn’t respond. Instead, she glances toward the dancefloor while debating.

“You don’t even have to dance, I promise. I’ll just… move around you,” the girl gives her a cheesy grin.

Without giving her a verbal answer, Emily stands up and allows her hand to get snatched by the blonde girl, instantly being tugged toward the crowd of people ━ including a very unhappy Alison and her “date.” 

Soon enough, they’re in the middle of a large chunk of club-goers, dancing to whatever fast-paced song is playing. Alison is only two couples away from Emily and Lexie, meaning that her sight is partially disrupted by dancing men but, for the most part, she can see perfectly fine. Her blue eyes watch the brunette’s hands shift according to the beat of the song as she’s pressed against the other girl, raising an eyebrow before attempting to pay more attention to the man she’s with, deliberately moving her body against his and smiling heavily. Emily, on the other hand, can see Alison out of the corner of her eye and notes the girl’s obvious staring and forced smiles, ultimately making her feel in-control because, truly, her annoyed body language is priceless.

Still at the bar, their four friends sit around while watching the scene unfold. Spencer and Aria chuckle at the sight whereas Hanna and Mona study the married girls silently with little to no reaction. Finally, the blonde speaks up.

“I’ve gotta say,” her voice is flat but her eyebrows are raised, “this is more entertaining than watching them verbally jab at each other.”

No one responds, so the girl continues, “Shall we make bets on who wins this particular showdown?”

Collectively, Spencer and Aria drone out an abrupt “No.”

“Fine, I’ll bet with Mona.”

“Do you  _ really _ want to do that?” the dark-haired girl looks at one of her best friends who, in the end, goes back to sitting silently ━ until a minute passes.

“God, I’m just so…” she makes a distraught face and Mona faces her. “I’m annoyed because we made this bet without knowing what’s going on with Alison. I feel bad.”

“What’s going on with Alison?” Spencer frowns.

Mona sighs, “Holbrook is being an ass again.”

“Like the assiest ass,” the blonde grits her teeth.

“You call him Holbrook?” Aria raises an eyebrow.

“ _ Everyone _ calls him Holbrook. Everyone in touch with Alison, at least. No one likes him enough to use his first name.”

“So, what’s going on?” again, Spencer asks the question.

Instead of speaking, Hanna finds her phone and logs into Instagram in order to show the two brunettes the picture that Alison had posted the previous night. Upon seeing the picture, the girls chuckle before the blonde stuffs her phone back into her purse. She turns to peer into the crowd of dancers again, her eyes finding Emily and Alison somehow getting closer and closer with their respective partners.

“After seeing that picture, I guess he flipped,” Hanna explains in case it wasn’t understood.

“Alison said he was sending her shit texts before that, though,” Mona adds.

“What does that have to do with the bet?” Aria looks toward Alison who emphatically laughs with the man she’s attached to.

“Nothing, really. I only feel bad because she has his shit to deal with and now she’s married,” her eyes widen.

“ _ Yeah _ , but it’s not like Alison helped herself when she told Emily that she’s stuck with her,” Mona comments.

“Do you guys think that Alison was using Emily last night? For comfort, I mean,” Aria is somewhat afraid to ask because of the tanned girl’s history with the blonde, but she feels the need to find out because, frankly, she cares for both girls involved.

“No,” Mona shakes her head heavily, “no, I don’t.”

At the same time, Hanna makes an identical notion, silently agreeing with Mona.

“What makes you say that?” Spencer wonders.

“Alison… she’s…” Hanna struggles to find the right words, “I guess you could say she’s like… a one on the Kinsey scale. Maybe a two, but…” she breathes out. “She wouldn’t go to a girl  _ just _ for comfort.”

“What?” Aria narrows her eyes.

Mona explains with a blunt tone, “Strictly dickly unless a girl catches her attention and that’s  _ very  _ rare.”

“But it’s happened before?”

Hanna and Mona share a look.

“Well… yes,” the dark-haired girl nods, “but you didn’t hear it from us.”

“Recently?”

“No,” they chime through monotonous voices, not wanting to give anything away.

“Who caught her attention, though?”

Before either girl can answer (not that they were going to), Emily drags Lexie out of the crowd so they can order another round of shots. The brunette smiles at her friends who force the same expression in return, afterwards turning to the bartender and grabbing the small glasses that he slides across the surface. She nods at him before putting a shot in Lexie’s hand, smirking before they finish the heavy liquid and afterwards placing the glasses back onto the bar. Emily turns around and looks in Alison’s direction for a split second, her eyes meeting blue before the blonde presses her body against the man’s even further, but the brunette keeps on a stone-like expression and faces Lexie again. In response, Alison’s devious expression falls flat.

Emily leans toward the girl’s ear to whisper something, getting as close as she can while Alison’s eyes narrow dangerously. When the brunette backs up, Lexie laughs and nods, but the response is overrun by Mona and Hanna who both say, “Yikes,” when Alison shoots a lethal glare in Emily’s direction, looking furious because her tactic is seemingly failing.

In the end, the brunette ignores it and her fingers intertwine with Lexie’s, only to be brought to a nearby sitting area so they can get “more comfortable.” Emily claims a spot on the shorter, padded bench, and leans her back against the cushion while sighing because she’s been standing for way too long. Within seconds, Lexie takes the initiative to sit on Emily’s lap while wrapping her arm around the brunette’s shoulders, laughing when the girl’s brown eyes open as a smile graces her face.

“Sorry, you looked comfier,” she smiles back and Emily makes an agreeing face.

“Yeah, I get that a lot,” comes the (partial) joke.

“Oh, really?” her eyes narrow playfully. “Hm, so I’m not the first to use this flirting technique?”

Alison, still on the dancefloor, watches the two like a hawk, growing more and more angry until she finally stops moving completely. The man she’s with continues to dance while staring at her with a frown, eventually coming to a standstill as she storms off, walking straight over to the bar where her friends sit.

“Give me my purse,” Alison demands once she’s face to face with Mona.

“What? You’re leaving?” Hanna squeaks out.

She never gets an answer. Instead, the angry blonde digs through her purse, finds her cheap, Vegas-style wedding ring, and slides the piece of jewelry onto her finger before storming over to where Lexie sits on Emily’s lap, purse hanging off her arm.

When the brunette sees Alison approaching with a determined look in her eye, she somewhat forces the other girl to the side and stands up, ready to fight back because, surprisingly, she’s having a nice time ━ or maybe it’s just nice to see Alison looking so upset over something “meaningless.”

“Oh, so we get into one, silly argument and suddenly our marriage means nothing to you?” Alison questions as she steps up to the brunette, earning a wide-eyed look from Lexie who now stands next to Emily.

“You’re married?” she throws at Emily.

“What? No, it’s not━”

“ _ No _ ?” comes Alison’s angry response. “Did you just tell her that we’re not married?”

“It’s not━” she tries, but her words are cut off by Alison ━  _ again _ .

“Did last night mean  _ anything  _ to you?” she takes another step forward, completely ignoring the second blonde who stands nearby.

Emily can barely breathe when Alison is this close, but her feet won’t take her any further backwards because she’s suddenly hitting the edge of the padded bench, so she seals her lips as much as she can.

“Do  _ I  _ mean anything to you?” Alison whispers.

When she feels the need to prove her point further, especially because her eyes drift to the brunette’s lips time and time again, she suddenly yet steadily grabs Emily’s face, leans forward, and kisses the girl hard.

It was supposed to be a short, lingering kiss, but Alison pressed against the girl a bit more and, in response, Emily felt herself latch onto the blonde whose lips are still moving against hers ━ on instinct, she reminds herself. The embrace lasts long enough for Emily to absentmindedly lean further against Alison who doesn’t seem too keen on breaking the kiss, anyway, but the brunette eventually shakes her head and forces herself backwards, only to be met with blue eyes that flutter open. 

Alison, upon looking at the blonde standing next to Emily, offers them both a bitter smile before storming off, practically running through the club and beyond the front doors. 

As Emily watches Alison leave, her frown deepens and she rubs her mouth when she feels the remnants of red lipstick on her skin, but soon chases after the blonde with an angry frame. Their friends, on the other hand, sit at the bar with open mouths and wide eyes until both girls are out of sight.

When the brunette gets into the hallway, she looks both ways and doesn’t see Alison anywhere. Taking a chance, she advances in the direction of their hotel, quickly weaving through people who walk along the marble hallways because, roughly, she wants to give the blonde the right amount of hell. Within minutes, she sees the girl far in front of her, walking as fast as she can with her heels as she digs through her purse. 

The blonde takes a final turn before she’s at the elevators and Emily hears a soft ding, causing her to speed up and quickly get her arm between the doors so she can shimmy into the space to come face to face with an annoyed Alison.

“What the hell was that about?” Emily gets out immediately, talking animatedly.

“I thought she should know that you’re not single,” Alison shrugs. “That’s all.”

“Oh yeah, because I’m married whereas you’re able to grind on any guy your little heart desires,” the brunette throws sarcasm.

“I’m sorry, do I detect jealousy?”

She laughs, “You wish.”

“Do I?” Alison squints. “I don’t really think I care.”

“You know, I’m so glad tonight is our last night here,” Emily bites.

“Aw, why?” the blonde gets closer. “I’m sure you’ll miss me.”

“Oh,  _ definitely _ .”

“Hm,” Alison takes another step in the girl’s direction, pursing her lips when they’re only a foot away, “then you’ll be happy to know that I’ve decided to move in.”

“What?” Emily’s smug expression turns into a solid, disbelieving frown.

“Well, I figured we’re married and I want to keep a close eye on you, so,” again, she shrugs. 

“You…” the brunette struggles to get any words out and suddenly this has become the world’s longest elevator ride. “You’re going to move to Baltimore  _ just  _ to keep an eye on me?”

“I hope that isn’t a problem,” Alison squints, smiling.

Emily forces a tight-lipped smile of her own, “Not at all.”

The metal doors slide open and Alison’s floor comes into view. Before the blonde steps out, she uses her thumb to wipe some lipstick away from the corner of Emily’s mouth, smiling heavily as the brunette grunts while trying to swat her hand away.

“I'll see you in the morning,” comes Alison’s final declaration before she blows a kiss to Emily who disappears behind elevator doors. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like we're heading to Baltimore. You didn't really think I'd let them live in separate houses (furthermore, different states), did you?
> 
> Now, how about that kiss? And the verbal jabs? And the chapter, overall? What's the scoreboard looking like, now that we're finished with Vegas?
> 
> Evidently, Holbrook's a real piece of (crap) work. He, ultimately, is a big reason as to why Alison longs for comfort, in general. As explained, they didn't/don't have a good relationship. No, he's not physically abusive, but his words are venomous and he did try to shove her into a box labeled "housewife." That's definitely not Alison DiLaurentis. This theme will be ongoing and he won't go away easily.
> 
> So, in this chapter, we basically got the answer as to why Mona and Hanna are always smirking idiots around Emily/Alison. Back in the day (their high school years), Emily liked/loved Alison (which is no secret), however only Mona and Hanna know that Alison actually felt something in return. They don't know what she felt, exactly, because Alison is very vague, but they do indeed know ━ and that's not a spoiler, I promise. This'll come up again, as well. All in all, Mona and Hanna don't believe that Alison was solely using Emily for comfort, but what do you lovely people think?
> 
> One thing I like about this story (in total) is that you're going to be hit by information all the way up until the final chapter. With both TM&HS and Jan2011, background information and internal thoughts were only prominent until about… three-fourths of the way through the story, but this certainly stays with the "background info" concept. I think it may be due to the fact that they have to figure themselves out before each other, whereas the other stories pretty much had Emily/Alison already knowing where they stand on their own. But yeah… I made sure to pack a lot of flashbacks and realization into the story throughout twenty chapters (disregarding the epilogue).
> 
> When we come back for next chapter, we'll get a better sense of what's going on in their minds now that they're going to be leaving Vegas, plus the inevitable drama (of course).
> 
> Next update (now that we're done with the "intro" chapters): Saturday.
> 
> Anyone sick of me talking so much? I'm done (for now), don't worry. Until this weekend, fill my notifications with comments/questions/reviews/love/stories/etc., and/or message me on ("capn-charlie") Tumblr. I'll be revising (and maybe writing). Have a nice week and, for those of you getting hit with Winter Storm Stella, stay safe and warm!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Emerges from my hi-tech igloo* Is it Saturday yet?
> 
> The past two days have been majorly shitty for me (with absolutely no reason whatsoever), so I'm hoping to make your day with this update so, in turn, my day will brighten a bit when I get messages, starting from when I wake up.
> 
> Now, to those who are wondering if any other characters will be making appearances throughout the story, the answer is yes. We'll be seeing CeCe, Mike, Jason, Emily's parents, Melissa, and Paige amongst previously mentioned characters who haven't physically shown up yet.
> 
> Read ahead.

Emily and Alison sit across from one another as their collective group waits for their respective flights to be called over the intercom. Hanna sits next to the second blonde whereas Mona stands nearby, somewhat facing Spencer and Aria who both decided that they had been sitting for way too long. It’s currently ten o’clock on Monday morning and they’ve been sitting around for an hour already, waiting for two, different flights: Las Vegas to Philadelphia at 10:45 A.M. and Las Vegas to Baltimore at 11:10 A.M.

Honestly, it’s an absolute miracle that they made it to the airport early. For starters, they woke up late because their sleep schedules have been majorly fucked up during the course of this three-night vacation, adding to the fact that Spencer missed her alarm which meant that the two others within the suite woke up late as well. Moreover, Hanna decided to say,  _ “Just five more minutes,”  _ about thirty times before Mona actually shoved her out of bed, claiming,  _ “You have seventeen minutes before we have to leave. Get packing,” _ as she threw the girl’s multiple bags on top of her still-sleeping body. So, due to Hanna’s reluctance, those three girls almost missed their set “meet-up time” that they had originally made with Aria and the others.

_ “I can’t believe it’s already time to leave,” Hanna whines, adjusting her sunglasses as all six girls walk toward the large airport. _

_ “Believe it because it’s happening,” Emily comments with an unreadable tone, earning a grunt from the same blonde. _

_ “Someone’s grumpy this morning,” Mona raises her eyebrows. _

_ “She’ll get over it,” Alison intervenes. _

_ “I am so not looking forward to being on a plane with you two,” Spencer adds, side-eyeing both Alison and Emily as she walks. _

_ “This was a great vacation,” Aria smiles big as she throws underlying attitude at everyone. _

Alison glances in Emily’s direction for what feels like the thirtieth time in an hour, somewhat wanting the brunette to look back because they’ve been silent for the most part and, if she’s  _ really  _ going to live with the girl, they might as well get along.

During the course of last night, her chest grew heavy with guilt as her stomach turned sour with nerves; roughly, Alison began to feel as though she bit off more than she can chew when she told Emily that she’s moving in, especially because, realistically, that means she’s leaving Gabe and starting a new life. She doesn’t even have everything she needs from “home” ━ not that it’s much, anyway ━ and, honestly, she wants to change her mind, but this could be good for her and she knows it. Heck, even Mona and Hanna know it, disregarding this entire “bet” situation. 

When she first told them what’s happening, they shared a shaky look before asking, _“Is this part of torturing Emily, too?”_ in all seriousness. Initially, Alison laughed at the question because, originally, it _was_ , but then she began to feel like, possibly, this is her best option when it comes to escaping a relationship that she absolutely loathes. Sure, it’s an unhealthy idea to force her way into the other girl’s home, but maybe it’s an underlying plea without asking Emily the actual words: “Can I stay with you for a while?” ━ especially considering how hot and cold they’ve been since re-meeting. It’s not even about the “marriage” right now; Alison wants to feel safe in a place where she can allow herself to _think_ , which she hasn't had in a while.

“Did you already switch your ticket from Philly to Baltimore?” Mona checks with Alison, earning a nod as Emily glances in their direction.

For the first time in a while, they make eye contact and it’s nothing short of awkward. No, there’s no anger at the moment, but maybe a dash of shakiness on both ends for multiple reasons. Hanna, on the other hand, chuckles at the situation.

“It’ll be like you two are really married,” she smiles and bounces her eyebrows, earning a look from both Emily and Alison because, well, leave it to Hanna to bring up the giant, unspoken-about elephant in the room.

“They  _ are  _ really married,” Spencer emphatically reminds everyone.

“Do either one of you give up━” Mona motions between Emily and Alison, quickly cut off by the two girls who drone at the same time.

“Nope,” they speak almost absentmindedly, not bothering to make eye contact this time.

“Wait,” Hanna suddenly whines, mouth shaping into a frown as she looks at the blonde next to her, “you won’t be close to us anymore.”

“You’re just realizing that?” Aria raises an eyebrow, earning a shrug.

“It’s only like… two hours away, don’t worry,” Mona comforts before adding, “you still have me.”

“But what about work?” again, Hanna speaks to Alison who purses her lips and looks at her hands. 

Mona makes an “oh shit” type of noise when she realizes that she completely forgot about Alison’s job, immediately looking at said blonde because she also wonders what the girl is going to do about everything.

“I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to lay low until I find something closer to Baltimore or inside the city,” she breathes out.

“But what about your current shifts?” Mona frowns and Alison shrugs, not knowing what to say.

“I’ll take them,” Hanna shakes her head and forces a smile. “If you’re really going to do this, you might as well do it now instead of waiting around for weeks.” 

“Okay,  _ we’ll  _ take care of it,” Mona looks at Hanna with a head nod, hoping that their boss goes for the deal because, really, they’re likely his favorites in the entire building so there shouldn’t be a problem.

Emily watches the three girls like a hawk, a stone-like expression covering her face because she has no idea how she should be feeling about everything. It’s nerve-wracking, to say the least, because Alison seemed so determined to make her life a living hell last night, but now the girl looks… regretful, of sorts. So, in the end, she doesn’t open her mouth because she feels strangely protective when it comes to Alison, even if they’ve been at each other’s throats for an entire day ━ not including the few hours before that.

“Are you  _ sure  _ you want to do this?” Mona directs the question at Alison.

“No,” Alison’s eyes widen and Emily looks away once she hears the girl’s tone, “I don’t  _ want  _ to do anything, but I know you’re right and I can’t go back to Gabe.”

“But you can always stay at my house,” Hanna tries.

“No, I know,” she shakes her head, “but… maybe a change of scenery will be good for me.”

Spencer and Aria turn to one another; they’re both impressed with how well Alison is dealing with this entire thing ━ even if she’s the one who formulated the plan ━ and they hope everything works out in the end because, yeah, she does deserve to have a better life than what Holbrook was dishing out before she left for Vegas ━ and as she  _ tried  _ to enjoy herself on vacation.

“Emily,” Mona looks at the brunette suddenly, earning raised eyebrows and an attentive expression.

When the girl has Emily’s full attention, she firmly states, “I don’t care what’s going on between you two. You better take care of her.”

In response, brown eyes flicker to Alison who only glances in her direction, afterwards forcefully looking away as she hugs her body. After a few moments of silence, Emily faces Mona again and nods firmly, letting the girl know that, okay, they’re not in the best place right now, but she isn’t about to let anything happen to Alison.

“And you better call us if you need anything,” Hanna looks at Alison. “You can always come back to Philly, if you need to.”

Alison offers a flat, quiet hum in response, afterwards allowing herself to look at Emily, slightly reading the girl as they make solid eye contact for seconds longer.

 

X X X

 

Alison hears multiple, struggling noises coming from somewhere behind her as she approaches the two-story, brick building.

The house sits in a quieter neighborhood considering that the busy part of town is located less than ten buildings down, cluttered with small shops, convenience stores, and multiple office spaces. Trees line each side of the street with cars parked against the curb every now and again, leaving the road populated but not overly crowded. Although the neighborhood seems “green,” the houses’ front yards lack an assortment of any type of shrubbery, and very thin strips of concrete separate the lots ━ only enough for a compact car to squeeze through, if need be. Emily’s house, particularly, is fronted with a short, one-car driveway taken up by the brunette’s black car, a small fence lines the lot beside the sidewalk, and a wooden door is attached to a small, cement “porch.” 

Overall, it’s a cute, slender house with plenty of windows on the face of it, earning a partial smile from Alison because, admittedly, it’s already thirty times nicer than her previous residence.

The blonde looks at the time on her phone, grunting when she sees that it’s nearing 7:30 P.M. and she’s  _ already  _ exhausted.

“Are you going to help at all?” Emily continues to struggle, dragging both of their bags up the short walkway as she tries to balance every object she’s holding.

Alison rolls her eyes and turns around, taking a few bags as Emily breathes out and straightens her back. As the girl stares at her with a bored facade, the brunette reaches into her pocket and pulls out her key, immediately walking up to the barrier and sliding the piece of metal into the lock before twisting the knob to push it open. 

Once the door is cracked, she hears soft humming coming from within and, suddenly, her eyes are wide as she internally panics because━ 

“Well? Are you going to move, or not?” Alison’s impatient voice comes from right behind her, causing Emily to stiffen because she doesn’t know what to do.

Before she can get a word out, the blonde pushes past her and crosses over the threshold, pausing once she hears someone singing from a room further inside. She turns back to Emily who quickly grabs the remaining bags and enters before closing the door behind them, standing nervously once she drops the items onto the wood, hallway floor. 

Alison narrows her eyes at the girl before holding a hand up and peeking around the corner of the wall to look through the living room, automatically having her eyes land upon another blonde who stands in the kitchen wearing practically nothing as she prepares some food. Within seconds, she faces Emily again with wide eyes and a questioning stare.

“Who’s that?” she whispers through a solid voice, though she already has a pretty damn good idea.

“That’s my, uh━” Emily struggles to get any more words out, being cut off by the blonde who stands in front of her with eyes that widen even further.

“ _ Girlfriend _ ?”

“Not necessarily a girlfriend,” the brunette explains. “We’re just━”

“━sleeping together?” Alison nearly grits her teeth because she’s been in the house for not even two minutes and she’s already being hit with information she didn’t ask for. 

When Emily doesn’t confirm nor deny it, Alison takes a step forward and whisper-hisses, “You brought me back here even though you have a girlfriend? Better yet, you━”

“First off, I didn't ask you to come here. Secondly, she's technically not my━”

“Is she the backup hoe, or am I?” comes the sudden, random question, causing Emily to narrow her eyes with a tinge of judgement and confusion.

The brunette goes to answer but is cut off again.

“Trick question. I’m no one’s backup,” she sneers.

“So, that whole thing with Elliott in Vegas… what did you call yourself then?”

Alison’s eyes are permanently wide as she points her finger in Emily’s face, not being able to get anything out before the blonde from the kitchen is quickly walking toward them, a curious grin plastered across her face while the girl standing next to the brunette forces a friendly (and somewhat bitter) smile.

“Emily,” the girl’s voice sounds like a whine, though she’s smiling, “why didn’t you tell me that you’d be bringing someone home? I would’ve gotten dressed,” before pressing a kiss to the brunette’s cheek. 

Emily looks down while noting the girl’s bra and small pair of shorts, afterwards turning to Alison as she says, “Alison, this is Sabrina,” before facing Sabrina and introducing her in the same manner.

“It’s  _ very  _ nice to meet you,” Alison smiles and blinks innocently, earning a grin from the blonde who stands nearby and a frown from Emily because, fuck, this isn’t going to end well.

Sabrina hums in response before turning to the brunette so she can allow her eyes to not-so-subtly roam the girl’s body. After another few seconds, she walks back into the kitchen as Alison rolls her eyes hard, afterwards taking a step in Emily’s direction so they’re six inches away.

“You  _ really  _ have a thing for blondes, don’t you?” she tilts her head, studying the girl in front of her.

In response, the brunette rolls her eyes heavily, forcefully grabbing Alison’s bags and bringing them down the slim hallway as they walk next to the wooden stairs. They pass a single door that leads to a small office located at the front of the house, afterwards taking a right into the room where Alison will be staying. 

The bedroom is white-walled and grey-carpeted, adorned with simple, blue fabrics strewn across the metal-framed bed and a nearby armchair. In the north-west corner of the room, a dresser is topped with a small, flat-screen TV, and a closet is tucked into the room’s east wall. Overall, it’s cozy with just enough room to walk around and relax wherever she pleases, and the two windows residing across from the bed create a nice feeling ━ though you can’t see much since the neighboring house is practically attached to Emily’s.

Emily huffs as she leans Alison’s bags against the bedframe, afterwards looking around the room to make sure she hasn’t absentmindedly stuffed some unwanted junk into the space. The blonde, on the other hand, walks around and looks at the room while wearing an unreadable expression. She sits on the bed a moment later, being faced by Emily who stands near the door.

“Do you need anything else?” the brunette feels nervous to ask.

“Yeah, a lot of things,” Alison responds as she touches the comforter beneath her fingers, afterwards feeling bad because she’s technically a guest ━ no matter what their “title” is.

The blonde sighs before looking at Emily with softer eyes, “Thanks for letting me stay here.”

Emily nods with a tight-lipped smile as she crosses her arms. She goes to walk away but, within seconds, she’s turning around again.

“I think we’re having dinner soon,” she clears her throat before adding, “if you want to join.”

“You mean… with you and your girlfriend?”

“She’s not my━”

A look is flung her way and she shuts up.

“I’m sorry,” Emily says through an exhale. “I honestly forgot.”

Alison leans forward, eyes narrowed in an incredulous way, “How do you  _ forget _ ?” 

“I forgot I told her that she could stay here while I was gone.”

“So, she doesn’t live here?” Alison questions with skeptical features.

“No,” Emily shakes her head.

“Hm,” comes the curt hum and that’s the end of the conversation.

When silence filters through the air, the brunette nods to herself before backing out of the room, somewhat closing Alison’s door on her way out. She walks over to the front hallway and grabs her own bags, carefully ascending the stairs and taking a left so she can push her bedroom door open. 

Once inside, she throws the luggage onto a nearby window seat and groans, immediately sitting down on the edge of her bed while rubbing her face. After another minute or so, she pulls her phone out of her pocket and scrolls through her notifications, quickly seeing that Alison accepted her various social media requests;  _ “We might as well follow each other on everything since we’ll be living together,”  _ Alison had suggested on their way home, earning a sigh and raised eyebrows from Emily.

Her thumb scrolls through the blonde’s social feed, soon tapping on Instagram as her eyes land upon the not-so-pretty picture of them from a few nights ago, somewhat wondering why Alison never deleted it. She blinks heavily while rubbing her forehead, attempting to force herself to look away from the picture because it’s still so fucked up. 

Within seconds, she hears her name being called by Sabrina who stands at the bottom of the stairs. In response, a soft groan exits her throat before she pushes herself off the bed and makes her way down the stairs, abruptly taking a right turn and walking through the living room until she’s standing in the kitchen. 

Emily feels stunned upon seeing the two blondes sitting at the table together, Alison flashing a less-than-friendly smile as Sabrina glances in the brunette’s direction, now wearing a t-shirt to go with her shorts.

“Where’d you disappear to?” Sabrina raises an eyebrow.

“Sorry,” Emily mutters and sits down in an empty chair, “I was putting my bags upstairs.”

Sabrina hums while taking some food for herself, “Did you have a nice time? Alison said she met up with you and your friends there.”

Alison smiles at the brunette and waits for an answer, tilting her head as she takes a bite of pasta.

“Mhm,” she forces a tight-lipped smile and hums in a tone that sounds the least bit convincing.

“What’d you do while you were away?” again, Sabrina looks up and wonders as she stares at Emily whose eyes bounce back and forth between the two blondes.

“Oh, you know,” Emily shrugs, “just… hung out. Did some stupid things. When in  _ Vegas _ ,” she mocks with a short laugh. 

Alison rolls her eyes heavily, not being noticed by Sabrina who seems content with the answer.

“But not too much fun, right?” comes Sabrina’s next question, smirking at the tanned girl.

Emily swallows hard and forces out a curt “Right” to which Alison hums negatively at.

“Depends on your definition of ‘too much fun,’” Alison adds while looking at Emily, though she mainly speaks to Sabrina.

“Well, I’m sure she didn’t go out and fuck several girls within four days,” Sabrina explains, followed by a quick “Did she?” as she looks at Alison. 

“ _ No _ ,” the other blonde drawls with a wave of her hand, “nothing like  _ that _ .”

Brown eyes widen as they stare in Alison’s direction, cautiously sipping on her water while trying to avoid the conversation as much as possible. Alison, on the other hand, continues to smile because she can see how much she’s getting to the brunette who sits across from her.

“Although,” Alison adds while turning to Sabrina again, “she  _ did  _ almost get kissed by some other blonde chick at a club last night. I stopped it before anything could happen, don’t worry.”

“As long as nothing happened, I’m fine,” the girl shrugs while taking a bite.

“Mm, I don’t blame the girl, though,” Alison continues. “You should’ve seen the way Em dressed all weekend,” she bites her lip and raises her eyebrows while looking away.

Emily narrows her eyes as the second blonde glances in Alison’s direction, somewhat side-eying the girl when she detects a flirtatious tone ━ which was  _ completely  _ intentional. 

“Oh,” Sabrina shakes her head when she remembers something, “by the way, Em, your mom called before to let you know that she and your dad are stopping by on Thursday. Something about wanting to see you before their vacation.”

Alison makes an entertained expression before smiling big at Emily whose lips part at the information mixed with the fact that the devious blonde sitting nearby is hellbent on ruining everything, automatically attempting to cover up her nervous body language as she forces out, “Okay, great.”

Ultimately, she’s beginning to feel fed up with this entire situation and Alison’s only been here for an hour ━ at max. Soon, she clears her throat and finishes her food as quickly as she can, immediately getting up and tossing her plate into the sink while swallowing her mouthful of food. After, her hands grip the edge of the sink as she takes a deep breath, only standing a few feet away from the two that remain sitting at the small kitchen table whilst making light conversation about whatever.

Surprisingly (or not), part of Emily somewhat wants Alison to spill the beans about what happened in Vegas, more so because her relationship with Sabrina isn’t the most satisfying in the first place, but the conscience-run portion of her mind lectures,  _ “You better be the one who tells Sabrina, if anyone.” _ Sure, Emily treats this “relationship” like an activity rather than something derived from actual feelings, but she sure as hell doesn’t want to hurt Sabrina because, quite frankly, they’ve dealt with one another for months now and she cares for her, even if it’s not in  _ that  _ way.

“Hey, Em,” Alison calls from the table, a smile that’s anything but genuine crossing her features while her head tilts to the side, “come here and tell Sabrina what happened a few days ago.”

The brunette’s eyes widen and she doesn’t turn around. In fact, her hands grip the counter even harder and her knuckles begin to turn white, but she takes another deep breath before forcing herself back to the table, cautiously sitting down and eyeing Sabrina who wears a frown.

“What happened?” she narrows her eyes with a confused, straight line painted across her mouth.

“Hm?” Emily fully zones back into reality, afterwards shaking her head and stuttering, “Oh, um, nothing important. Hanna just, uh, smacked some woman that was picking on Alison.”

The blonde involved in the story wants to roll her eyes again, though she can’t because Sabrina is now looking at her with pursed, wondering lips. 

“Why?” Sabrina turns back to Emily and the brunette sits up straight with an eager grin, extremely ready to tell the story until a heel is slammed against her shin underneath the table.

She grunts at the feeling, breathing out and faking a smile as she explains, “Leg cramp.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, Em, are you okay?” Alison is next to react, frowning severely until Emily locks eyes with her, and then she raises a daring eyebrow.

She continues in a joking yet flirtatious tone, “I can give you a massage, if you’d like,” earning a side-eye from Sabrina who clears her throat and crosses her arms.

“So,” Sabrina abruptly interrupts as she leans forward, propping her elbows onto the table, “you had a good time, then? In Vegas. I’m just asking because you didn’t seem like you wanted to go beforehand…” she sounds cautious.

“Yeah, it was okay,” Emily shrugs.

“Oh, don’t downplay it, Emily,” Alison interrupts. “She wants to hear about your time there. Don’t dance around it.”

Sabrina glances between the two who now are in some sort of silent stare-down, ending with Emily looking around the room, smiling, and turning to answer with newfound confidence.

“You know, I had a great time,” she speaks with a grin before looking at the table as the expression grows. “I relaxed, ate expensive dinners, watched my friends gamble, and drank a bit while not caring about much of anything. It was nice to get away from here since I haven’t left in God only knows how long before that,” she ends with an emphatic shrug, pursing her lips and nodding to herself.

Sabrina offers a curt hum.

“I think you’re leaving out one,  _ tiny  _ detail,” Alison coaxes, using her fingers to emphasize “tiny” while squinting.

Emily makes a face and tilts her head in agreement, turning to Sabrina with a different kind of smile.

“She’s right,” again, she nods, “the entire time… I  _ really  _ wished that I had brought you with me.”

Alison’s cunning grin falls flat, being replaced with a glare as she presses her tongue to the inside of her cheek.

The brunette pushes her chair out and walks over to Sabrina, wrapping her arms around the girl while pressing a kiss to her temple. Emily smiles while slightly looking in Alison’s direction, afterwards turning her attention back to Sabrina and mumbling, “You would’ve kept me much more entertained… and  _ satisfied _ ,” against the blonde’s temple, earning a small laugh.

“Well, I’m glad you realize that now,” she turns around as much as she can, pecking the brunette on the lips as the second blonde watches on with a glare and flared nostrils because her tactic was totally kicked off a cliff.

“Go get comfy,” Emily smiles at Sabrina while whispering, kissing her again. “I’ll be up soon.”

“Don’t take too long,” the girl smirks as she walks away, exiting the kitchen.

The brunette walks away from the table as Alison remains sitting, flat-out refusing to look Emily in the eyes as she crosses her arms and stares at the floor. They hear Sabrina ascending the stairs, afterwards allowing silence to filter through the kitchen while Emily tosses the remaining dishes into the sink. She turns back to Alison a few seconds after, leaning against the countertop and allowing a soft laugh to exit her throat as she looks at the ceiling in entertainment.

“I think your plan went perfectly, don’t you?” the brunette sounds smug and a bit impressed with herself, earning an extreme side-eye from the girl who sits at the table.

“You seem to be under the impression that I care enough to have a plan.”

Emily pushes herself away from the surface, approaching the table as she places her palms flat on the piece of furniture while looking at Alison who still avoids her eyes.

“Oh, so you  _ didn’t  _ just try throwing me to the wolves? I must be imagining things.”

“You must be,” Alison smiles with raised eyebrows, finally looking at the girl.

“Nothing in my imagination involves you,” Emily straightens her back and laughs.

“I’m sure that’s a lie,” the blonde tilts her head, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. “I’m sure you still think about the night when we went back to my room. Like when we were dancing at the club and what happened after.”

“You mean…  _ before  _ we got  _ completely  _ trashed and made the biggest mistake of our lives?”

“I’d say that’s the  _ second  _ biggest mistake of my life,” Alison debates while squinting.

“What’s the first?”

The blonde pushes her chair out and pretends to think as she stands there, arms slumped at her sides.

She smiles again, bitterly, “Asking you to come back to my suite, in the first place.”

“Then why’d you say you’ll live with me, hm?” Emily matches the expression.

“I already told you,” Alison takes a step backward, walking toward her room. “I want to keep an eye on you.”

Emily nods, following the girl step by step, “Okay, well,” she claps her hands together, “while you ‘keep an eye’ on me,” and uses her fingers to air quote the blonde’s words, “you can watch me go upstairs to crawl into bed with someone else.”

They’re face to face as Alison stands in her bedroom doorway, eyes narrowed severely while she shifts her jaw because the girl is smirking heavily when silence bounces between them.

“Goodnight,  _ baby _ ,” the brunette backs up and moves over to the stairs, quickly being followed for multiple steps by Alison who gets out a hissed “Fuck you” through gritted teeth.

Emily, upon hearing the girl’s tone, turns around with another smile as she nods to no one in particular, afterwards locking eyes with furious blue once again.

“You know, I think someone else has that covered,” she winks before walking up the stairs, thanking whatever bit of boldness decided to grace her tonight because, if it hadn’t, who knows what would have happened during dinner.

Alison watches the girl walk up the stairs and turn left as a frown covers her features, obviously not too keen on the fact that she just “lost” whatever game they were playing. As she hears a door latch somewhere upstairs, her jaw shifts again before she moves back into her room, closing the door immediately. 

She breathes out heavily and looks around, not knowing what to do because she only has a few bags and most of them consist of clothes. Really, she misses her things including her favorite books, comic books, and movies. Additionally, she has no personal belongings so, right now, she feels… out of place. Frowning, Alison sits on the edge of the bed and picks at a thread on the comforter, soon tapping away on her phone and typing a message in the group chat between her, Mona, and Hanna:

_ “Did either of you call the office yet?” _

A few seconds later, a text from Mona comes through:

**M** ━ “Yup. Everything’s all set. Han and I are covering your remaining shifts and the team wishes you luck.”

Alison smiles sadly, already missing her working relationship with everyone.

**A** ━ “Not sure if I should feel relieved or upset.”

**H** ━ “UPSET.”

**H** ━ “VERY UPSET.”

**H** ━ “LIKE ME.”

**M** ━ “You know that you could’ve fit those three texts into a single message, right?”

**H** ━ “It would’ve lost its emphasis.”

**M** ━ “I think the capitals had that covered.”

**A** ━ “I’m away from you guys for less than a day and you’re already close to strangling each other.” 

**H** ━ “No we’re not.”

**M** ━ “Speak for yourself.”

Alison snorts at the dark-haired girl’s response, but her entertained expression falls flat when she hears a thud come from somewhere upstairs, followed by a type of noise that she could’ve lived her entire life happily without hearing. So, when another sound floats through her closed door, she rolls her eyes and types furiously within the group chat.

**A** ━ “Get this. Emily has a girlfriend and they’re banging right now.”

**H** ━ “W H AT”

**M** ━ “And you’re not barging into her room to rip her a new one? Interesting.”

**A** ━ “Ew. I don’t wanna see that.”

**A** ━ “I’m an entire floor down and I can already hear it.”

**H** ━ “Do they sound like they’re having a good time?”

**A** ━ “What the fuck, Hanna???”

**M** ━ “Does it sound fake?” 

**A** ━ “How the fuck would I know?”

**M** ━ “...Do you really want me to answer that?”

**H** ━ “Lmfao.”

The blonde shakes her head before her eyes float up to the ceiling, not hearing anything for a good, three minutes. 

**M** ━ “1. You aren’t going to convince me that you’ve never faked an orgasm.”

**M** ━ “2. You’re good at detecting fake people so I doubt that you have no idea how to detect what fake sex sounds like.”

**H** ━ “3) YOU HAD SEX WITH EMILY SO YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT REAL SEX WITH HER SOUNDS LIKE.”

**M** ━ “If you’re going to interrupt my list then you better fucking use the same number scheme next time.”

**A** ━ “It’s not like I remember.”

**H** ━ “Sure…”

**A** ━ “Do you remember? :)”

**H** ━ “Touché…”

The girl smirks as she lies down against the surprisingly comfortable pillows, quickly finding her charger within a bag that rests against the bedframe. She plugs it into the outlet behind the headboard, afterwards scrambling to get her headphones when the upstairs noises pick up again ━  _ louder _ . For a moment, she pauses to listen, noting that it’s definitely  _ not  _ Emily which means that the brunette is intentionally doing whatever-the-fuck out of spite and, suddenly, Alison shakes her head because it’s an idiotic tactic. Her earbuds are shoved into place a moment later as she leans back, finally looking at the chat to see what she missed.

**M** ━ “I still can’t believe you never told me.”

**H** ━ “It was just an experiment!”

**M** ━ “No. Creating slime is an experiment. Not… you know…”

**H** ━ “I really want to say ‘creating slime’ but I don’t want anyone to throw up. And I don’t want Alison to kill me.”

**M** ━ “Ewwww. Images.”

**A** ━ “Why would I kill you? But also ew.”

**H** ━ “Because that’s your wife!!”

She grunts.

**M** ━ “Speaking of…”

**M** ━ “How’s that going?”

**A** ━ “I honestly forgot about the entire thing for the most part. I’m just trying to sleep through the night while Emily fucks some girl upstairs. Headphones = in.”

**M** ━ “How do you know Emily is fucking the girl though? Maybe she’s the one being fucked. She seemed stressed this morning.”

**H** ━ “SHE’S GETTIN LAID.”

**M** ━ “Sigh.”

**A** ━ “Because it doesn’t sound like her.”

As she sends it, she wants to smack herself in the face because━

**H** ━ “So you do remember?”

A smirking emoji follows the blonde’s message and Alison wants to reach through the phone to impale her. 

**A** ━ “No.”

**M** ━ “Lie.”

**A** ━ “I swear.”

**M** ━ “Lie.”

**H** ━ “I’m with Mona on this one.”

**A** ━ “This one???”

**H** ━ “Whatever. I think you remember more than you’re admitting.”

**H** ━ “But it’s fineeeee. I won’t pry.”

**M** ━ “Since when?”

Alison, again, makes an annoyed noise as she places her phone screen-down on her stomach, afterwards taking in a huge breath while closing her eyes; maybe she  _ does  _ remember more than she’ll allow herself to admit, but it’s not like she  _ wants  _ to. No matter what, the entire thing was a mistake. It should have  _ never  _ happened and they should have never met up after everything went down. She was stupid to think that they could somehow patch things up and move on.  _ “Yeah, you patched things up real good,” _ a taunting thought enters her head, causing her hands to rub at her eyelids.

**H** ━ “Have you heard from man-child?”

**A** ━ “He stopped texting me sometime during last night. Haven’t heard from him since.”

**M** ━ “What a fucking blessing.”

The blonde purses her lips in agreement before taking her headphones out so she can wander into the kitchen for some water. As she enters the dark, chilly room while walking along the cold, tiled floor, her blue eyes peer through the blinds in order to look into the backyard. It’s a good size with a fence surrounding the lot, and trees line the wooden pickets. Toward the right, there’s a small gate to enter the tiny strip of concrete separating her house from the neighbor’s, also being faced by a similar gate on the next-door lot.

A soft hum exits her throat and she turns around to walk over to the fridge, casually getting herself a glass of water once she finds the cup cabinet. She sips on the cool liquid in peace, but the silence is soon disrupted by a muffled moan of some sort coming from none other than the floor above her. Her eyes float to the ceiling as they widen in annoyance, eventually squinting in thought until she glances in the fridge’s direction with a new, deviously determined tint. A tiny smile crosses her face within seconds and, before she walks back to her bedroom, she offers herself a solid head nod.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emily, sweetie, you're reaching… and you're gonna get yourself fought. Low blows never come with a happy ending and Alison sure as hell won't take it lying down… judging by this chapter's ending.
> 
> Ya'll didn't forget about Sabrina, did you? Emily sure as hell did, but that's beside the point. I'm sure no one expected this encounter to happen so soon, but that was somewhat intentional because I wanted everyone to feel equally as smacked-in-the-face by Sabrina popping up basically out of nowhere. What do you think's going to happen between these three? Place your bets (cliché, I know).
> 
> Before all this shit went down, Alison seemed pretty damn vulnerable, didn't she? The beginning airport scene is important to think about, especially because it's so soft in comparison to how they've been acting, and it displays a wide spectrum of Alison's internal thoughts. So, yes, she told Emily she'd live with her because, let's be real, she likes torturing her (and other obvious reasons), but also because something deep down pushed her to get away from her old, toxic environment. Emily, likewise, obviously wants to protect Alison so, yeah, she's drained by this entire "bet," but even she knows that Alison deserves to be somewhere safe.
> 
> All I have to say about next chapter is... well, it's all fun and games until... you know.
> 
> Next update: Wednesday.
> 
> Until then… do yo thang.
> 
> P.S. Guys, almost 30 days until PLL comes back. That's insanity. I'm stoked.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayo, it’s posting day! 
> 
> First things first, to quote my good friend re: last chapter, “Emily is laying in the grave she dug up a few seasons ago.” It’s true. She’s played a dirty game (in more ways than one), but (to quote Emily, herself, from the first chapter), “I thought Alison DiLaurentis always wins.” Congratulations, you played yourself!
> 
> I feel the need to remind everyone that the girls were best friends in high school, therefore Alison already knows Emily’s parents. Just saying because I, myself, somewhat forgot while I was writing a future chapter and I was like “Waittaminute” and had to backtrack. That’s just a little side note because I forgot to mention it.
> 
> Before we dive into this chapter, I want to say… I received a review this week that kind of bothered me, obviously to the point of me having to mention it. So, to the anon, with all due respect: Having sex with someone does not hold any correlation to whether or not a person values their body, and it certainly does not make them “easy.” It’s ultimately their choice, whether it’s within a story, on a TV screen, or in a real life situation. No one is allowed to be the judge of whether or not someone values herself/himself and, although these are characters, I don’t exactly enjoy reading random, negative things about them that don’t pertain to what’s actually written within the story. I can take criticism, but this is beyond that and I refuse to deal with any form of “shaming.” 
> 
> Back to this. The bottom author’s note for this chapter is like… ten miles long (around 1K), so bear with me. It’s only hella lengthy because there’s so much unspoken content and I just drank two things of espresso…  
> …Not to mention the fact that I may or may not have (yeah, I totally did) snuck a sneak peek of a future chapter in there because I love each and every one of you. But, ya know, it’s up to you if you’d like to read it… 
> 
> Don’t stress too much with this one.

The brunette flips through an endless amount of TV channels as she sits on the living room couch. She wears a frown, even if it’s mostly absentminded, and her eyes zone into the television in front of her, completely blocking out the rest of the world. 

Sabrina, however, stands in the kitchen while peering into the room where Emily sits, severely upset because the girl has seemed distracted the entire day ━ aside from the select few times when Alison exited the guest room in order to use the bathroom, grab some food, or snatch a cup of whatever. When that happened, the brunette became pretty damn flirtatious and handsy, one time almost-completely attempting to start a full-blown make out session in front of their blonde guest. Alison, in response, offered a simple smile before scurrying back to her room, leaving a dumbfounded Emily standing in front of Sabrina until she mumbled,  _ “I’m going to do a few things upstairs.” _

Really, Sabrina knows something’s up; it’s too damn coincidental that the brunette gets  _ this  _ touchy in front of someone new. Actually, it’s not coincidental. It’s fucking weird. Emily’s never been one for public displays of affection or even the simple acknowledgment of whatever-the-fuck their relationship is. So, when Alison emerged from her room another time, Sabrina forcefully kept her distance from both of them and went about her business.

Even last night, the girl was acting way too determined in bed ━ especially considering the fact that she endured a lengthy plane ride after a time-zone switch. Whatever, she thought at the time; if the brunette missed her  _ that  _ much, so be it. It’s just strange. 

“Emily,” Sabrina calls from the kitchen, a straight line covering her mouth as she waits for an answer ━ or at least  _ some form _ of acknowledgment. 

When the brunette continues staring at the television as if it’s speaking directly to her, Sabrina clears her throat. Again, no answer.

“ _ Emily _ ,” she stresses, slamming the kitchen knife onto the counter and gritting her teeth when the tanned girl finally looks in her direction.

As if on cue, the other blonde exits her room and makes her way into the kitchen where Sabrina stands. She looks between the two, sensing some sort of bad blood, before raising her eyebrows and going about her business within the fridge. 

Emily, on sight, walks into the same room and leans her elbows on the counter, staring at Sabrina with a partial smile. In response, the same girl huffs and rolls her eyes.

“Of course I have your attention  _ now _ ,” she mumbles as she begins to chop different vegetables like previously.

The brunette wants to respond or fight back, she really does, but can’t. No matter how hard she tries, the words won’t come out, so she straightens her back until she’s standing and remains staring at Sabrina with a face that displays a tinge of guilt. Alison turns around with her glass of juice, simply looking between the two girls ━ though Emily hasn’t locked eyes with her since this morning, even if she’s been trying to get under the girl’s skin.

_ “Hey, Alison,” Sabrina sees the girl exiting her room for the first time since she’d woken up, “I’m going to buy us some muffins for breakfast. Do you want anything specific?” _

_ “Um,” the girl squints, “no, thank you.”  _

_ Really, there’s no reason for her to be a bitch to Sabrina, so she tries her best to stay indifferent when speaking to the girl who’s been nothing but nice since she arrived. It’s Emily that deserves to suffer, for sure, so she keeps a genuine smile plastered on her face when speaking to Sabrina. _

_ “Alright, well,” Sabrina breathes out while grabbing her keys, dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt, “I think Emily’s still sleeping, but I made some coffee in case anyone wants some. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes or so.” _

_ “Thank you, again,” Alison gets out before the front door shuts once Sabrina exits. _

_ Suddenly, she remembers the night before and, ultimately, why the other blonde seems so cheery. As a result, she rolls her eyes hard and storms into the kitchen, smirking devilishly hard when she opens the fridge and grabs the ice-cold pitcher of water.  _

_ Her eyes glance around every corner as she carries the container up the stairs. As she hits the second floor’s landing, she glances to the right and sees a beautiful, black-felt pool table, nodding impressively to herself because the entire upstairs is stunning. Before Alison gets too distracted, however, she turns to the left to abruptly come face to face with the girl’s bedroom door, immediately pushing it open so she can tiptoe inside. _

_ Her bedroom is nice, Alison muses, but not as nice as the billiards room. It looks much like the guest room where she slept hours prior, but a bigger size with a cushioned sitting area pressed against the window. Overall, it lacks personality.  _

_ She blinks hard when she hears a soft groan from Emily who shifts her mostly naked torso, leaving her left arm pressed against the pillow above her head whereas her right hand lies on her stomach. Alison feels herself blushing at the sight, afterwards shaking her head as she mentally scolds herself for even moderately admiring the sleepy scene in front of her. _

_ The blonde pushes forward, walking around the bed until she’s on Emily’s side, standing right next to the mattress as her hand keeps a firm grip on the water pitcher’s handle. For a moment, she internally debates on whether or not she should really partake in this entire “revenge” cycle, but then remembers the previous night and everything the brunette said, followed by what she ended up doing for countless hours. Surprisingly, Alison eventually fell asleep with her earbuds pushed in, feeling uncomfortable solely because she was exhausted and couldn’t find a relaxing position with her ears plugged. _

_ Without wasting any more time because Sabrina will be home soon, Alison purses her lips and pours the entire container of ice-cold water onto the girl who jolts awake, looking around the room frantically until she spots Alison through blurred vision. The blonde takes a few steps back until she’s far enough away from the girl who’s soaked completely ━ not to mention her bedspread ━ and a large, “fuck you” kind of smirk curves her lips. _

_ “What the fuck, Alison?!” Emily looks down at her outfit, remembering that she’s only wearing a bra and, soon, covering her soaked chest with an angry body language. _

_ “I’m sorry,” the blonde shrugs with a careless tone, “I figured you could use something to help you, well… you know, cool down.” _

_ The girl looks down at her sheets and (lack of) clothing again, soon scrambling to get out of bed so she can tear the blankets off. Alison laughs at the sight, still smiling because the look on Emily’s face remains priceless. _

_ “Next time… think before you intentionally piss me off,” Alison flashes a bitter smile before dropping the fake-sweet voice, flattening her expression. “You should know better, by now.” _

“Seriously, Emily?” Sabrina slaps her hand on the counter, attempting to break the girl out of her thoughts because she’s been staring at the marble surface for five minutes.

The brunette shakes her head and takes a step back, not knowing what to say.

“What the hell has gotten into you?” she continues, completely ignoring the fact that Alison still stands behind her.

Emily goes to whisper the stuttered response, “I━I don’t know,” but it comes out inaudible and Sabrina only stares at her, overly annoyed by the entire day.

“‘Kay, well, dinner’s almost ready,” the girl offers a curt statement, afterwards moving back over to the stove in order to push around the simmering vegetables.

Next, she tosses a dishtowel onto the counter nearby, afterwards walking into the bathroom and slamming the door shut. Alison stares at the bathroom door, soon turning back to Emily who avoids locking eyes with the girl. The room is completely silent while Sabrina is gone, mostly because the brunette refuses to speak to Alison because of this morning’s events. 

Alison, on the other hand, feels somewhat guilty. Overall, she doesn’t feel bad for this morning because, well, Emily deserved it, but she  _ does _ feel pretty shitty about Sabrina’s treatment toward Emily. Really, she’s been acting cold. Yeah, the brunette has been using her (to put it gently), but it’s not like their entire relationship for however-long they’ve been together was a lie. 

She sighs aloud, afterwards shaking her head and crossing her arms before Sabrina emerges from the bathroom, automatically looking between the other blonde and Emily before huffing, walking further into the kitchen, and placing the food on the kitchen table. 

Emily and Alison cautiously sit down in their respective seats, filling their plates quietly while Sabrina seems ten times more pissed than previously. The brunette side-eyes the angry blonde girl, biting her lower lip because she realizes how aloof she’s been throughout the day. Really, she hasn’t even messaged Spencer or Aria throughout the day (which is weird for her) ━ and, honestly, she forgot her phone upstairs a while ago after having caught herself staring at Alison’s drunken Instagram picture from days ago. Moreover, she doesn’t remember watching TV for most of the day. After she changed her watered-down sheets (and attempted to dry her mattress) this morning, the girl just…  _ blanked _ .

In fact, Alison subtly glances at the brunette as they eat, her eyes drifting upwards to see Emily picking at the food on her plate. She pushes around a few vegetables, occasionally looking away from both blondes as she swallows hard whenever she thinks about the predicament she’s stuck in.

Honestly, Emily has no idea why she’s so bothered today. Yeah, she’s upset about this morning and, sure, she’s upset that Sabrina’s so pissed, but why would these small things get  _ so  _ under her skin? Alison has been toying with her for days now, so why is she, just now, getting cold feet about this entire “anything you can do, I can do better” challenge? Is it stress overload? Guilt for what she did last night? The girl sighs at the thought, shifting her jaw and, once again, looking away as she leans back in her seat.

“You don’t  _ have  _ to eat it, you know,” Sabrina speaks up, not facing Emily. “Just figured that maybe food could get your attention since I clearly can’t,” she mumbles the last part, earning a glance from Alison who, after, raises her eyebrows and continues to eat.

Emily takes the jabs and stays silent, only partly looking at Sabrina because, really, she can’t bear to stare at either girl fully. Not right now.

“Emily?” Alison’s voice comes next, extremely cautious-sounding because she knows how hot and cold they’ve been.

The brunette’s eyes glance in the girl’s direction for the first time in a while, looking nervous because she doesn’t have enough energy to fend off her snappiness as well. Much to her surprise, Alison stares at her with a tinge of sympathy and confusion, but the girl’s blue focus kind of evades the concept of direct eye contact, so it moves back and forth between Emily and Sabrina who stays silent.

“Are you okay?” she questions, still walking on eggshells.

A short “Mhm” and nod answers the girl, but Sabrina makes a scoffing sound and, suddenly, Alison is looking at the second blonde. Emily wants to panic, more so because she sees the soft glare that’s being thrown in Sabrina’s direction, but doesn’t protest. Instead, she barely breathes as Alison tilts her head with a quiet “Hm?” as she stares at Sabrina, earning a shrug and an “Oh, nothing. Just thinking.” 

Alison doesn’t believe it and, frankly, she shouldn’t, but she doesn’t press the subject solely because she meant it when she said that Sabrina doesn’t deserve her attitude. With that being said, the girl would never hesitate to bite back at someone who attempts to walk all over her, but, for Emily’s sake, she keeps her lips sealed. Why, exactly? She has no idea, but something in her gut tells her to leave it be.

Suddenly, the scuffing of Emily’s chair breaks Alison out of her rampant, questioning thoughts while the girl moves over to the counter, places her plate on the surface, and offers the two a timid “I’m going for a walk. I’ll be back in a little.”

The blondes at the table share a look, Alison more curious than Sabrina who, afterwards, stabs at her food with more irritation. Weirdly enough, Alison wants to follow Emily just to see where she wanders off to, but knows, for certain, that’d be crossing some type of boundary they had set while exchanging low blows over the past few days.

So, for the rest of their “dinner time,” Alison and Sabrina stay silent. Forks clank along ceramic plates every now and then but, otherwise, a nearby wall-clock ticks on the other side of the kitchen, causing Alison to feel somewhat anxious. Here she is ━ knowing full well that she’s legally married to Emily ━ sitting in silence with the same brunette’s…  _ girlfriend _ ? No, she almost shakes her head, the girl sternly stated that they aren’t exactly titled. On the other hand, does  _ Sabrina  _ know that they aren’t dubbed a “couple”?

Ten extra minutes pass as the two sit at the table, avoiding one another’s eyes until Sabrina shoves her chair away from the wooden piece of furniture and tosses her dish into the sink, creating a pretty loud bang in the process. Alison narrows her eyes as the girl walks out of the room, soon hearing the sound of stomping footsteps storming up the stairs until the bedroom door slams shut. 

She frowns, especially because she’s still sitting at the dinner table as the clock strikes 8:30 P.M., and waits a few extra seconds before pushing backwards, standing up, and bringing her dish over to the sink. She sighs while placing it into the metal cut-out, quickly running water over everything and scrubbing the plates at a steady rate.

Her mind thinks of Holbrook and his “chore list” for whenever she came home from work, leaving her things to do such as laundry, dishes, dinner, and overall cleaning.  _ “All things a future wife needs to be good at,” _ he’d say with a half-smile that was everything less than appealing. Nonetheless, she did whatever he asked just for the sake of “keeping the peace.” What peace, though? She rolls her eyes heavily, finishing another plate and tossing it into the drying rack nearby.

_ “You missed a spot,” Holbrook pauses behind Alison who stands with her hands under running water, continuously washing dishes for fifteen minutes (so far) since there was a pile the size of Texas sitting next to the sink while more plates rested inside. _

_ “That stain’s always been there,” the blonde tries to keep an even tone. _

_ “I think I’d notice if it was,” he tosses it into the sink while she’s washing a chopping knife, ultimately causing it to push her hand down onto the blade, creating a small but deep gash in her palm. _

_ She grimaces at the pain and drops the knife, immediately running her hand underneath the water as he simply looks at the wound before walking away without saying a word. Alison clenches her jaw but side-eyes him, harshly holding onto the cut and applying as much pressure as she can without cutting off her circulation. Tears well up in her eyes but, in order to keep them at bay, she looks at the ceiling and takes a deep breath, hoping that the pain stops soon ━ not to mention the internal, aching sensation in her hollow-feeling heart.  _

As the blonde finishes cleaning the dirty dishes, her eyes scan the kitchen to make sure everything looks put-away before she nods to herself, shuts the light off, and walks into her room. 

Her door is cracked shut as she moves further into the space, immediately sitting on the edge of the bed and sending a message to the group chat:

_ “Shitty day at the Fields’ residence.” _

Before she can put the device down, Hanna responds with a prominent smirking emoji at the beginning.

**H** ━ “Oooh, so you’re officially a Fields?”

The blonde rolls her eyes at the message, entirely ignoring the accusation when she responds.

**A** ━ “Something’s going on between Emily and Sabrina. Not gonna lie… it’s hard to watch.”

**H** ━ “Like what?”

**H** ━ “And why is it hard to watch?”

**A** ━ “Not sure. Em’s been quiet and it’s ticking Sabrina off. I think. Idk.”

**H** ━ “…But why is it hard to watch???”

**M** ━ “Someone’s feeling protective. Awww.”

**A** ━ “Where’d you come from? Don’t you work late on Tuesdays?” 

**M** ━ “Yes. I took a short break and just so happened to see you being a protective little shit.”

**H** ━ “I’m with Mona on this one.”

**A** ━ “When are you not?”

**M** ━ “Don’t be jealous, Ali. ;) She knows you just as well as I do.”

**A** ━ “Not protective. Just feeling bad.”

**M** ━ “Because you don’t want to see anyone other than yourself playing cat and mouse with Emily’s feelings.”

The blonde’s lips part, soon frowning at her screen when she doesn’t know how to respond. Before she can delve too far into her wonders, however, a soft knock at her door sounds before her eyes are looking up to meet brown. 

Emily stands there, mouth opening and closing once they’re making eye contact because, shit, she has no idea what to say now that she’s in Alison’s room. She lingers in the doorway, rubbing at her bicep while breaking their locked line of sight to search the room for nothing in particular. Alison waits, studying the girl’s nervous body language, and her frown deepens because she’s starting to feel  _ really  _ bad.

“Are you  _ sure  _ you’re okay?” the blonde finally questions, her voice filled with concern that she doesn’t bother to hide.

“Um, yeah,” Emily forces a nod while breathing out, “just feeling a little weird.”

Alison nods, not knowing what to say.

The brunette continues, “I, uh, wanted to say goodnight. I know the room’s probably not as comfortable as your old bed, but I hope it’s… okay.”

Blue eyes stare at her, detecting an underlying reason for walking into the room. She doesn’t question it, however, and instead nods with a soft “Thanks.”

“Let me know if you need anything,” Emily finally looks at her fully, offering a tiny smile before it fades again.

“Actually,” Alison says before hesitating, feeling odd asking for a favor but forcing herself to get the words out, anyway, “I do… have a request.”

Emily walks into the room a step further, hands clasped in front of her in an awkward manner.

“Can we drive to Philly sometime soon?” 

The girl looks taken aback, eyes leaving Alison’s once again as she whispers, “You want to go home?” with an underlying hint of regret.

Alison immediately shakes her head while breathing out, “No, but I need to get some stuff. I only took a few bags on vacation because I didn’t know it’d be permanent.”

They both laugh partially and Emily licks her lips in thought before humming, “We can go tomorrow, if that's okay. I’m off work until Monday. After that, my work schedule is still pretty scattered, but…” she trails off.

The blonde accepts the offer and smiles, afterwards swallowing hard and looking around because silence is starting to devour the room from the inside, working outwards while she feels as though they’re both too damaged to, hopefully, get over this “I win, you lose” thing.

“I’m sorry for today,” the brunette manages to get out, albeit she’s basically talking to the floor. “I didn’t mean to ruin everyone’s night.”

“You didn’t ruin my night.”

“Well,” she takes a deep breath, “I’m going to take care of things. I can’t…” her eyes flicker around the room, never finishing the sentence but starting a new one, “She’ll be gone soon.”

“Don’t make her leave, on my account,” Alison’s expression is unreadable.

Emily raises her eyebrows, “I’m not.” 

Again, silence filters through the room until the brunette takes a few steps backwards, offering another, soft “Goodnight” before leaving the doorway with crossed arms. Meanwhile, Alison frowns again, eyes searching the comforter that she sits on.

The tanned girl takes the stairs step by step, feeling extremely sluggish and wanting to do nothing but sleep. 

Once she reaches the landing, a deep breath falls from her mouth before twisting the bedroom’s doorknob and stepping inside. Upon entering, she sees Sabrina sitting on the edge of the bed while staring at the wall in front of her. She wears an empty expression, gradually being replaced by an angry frown as she stands up to come face to face with Emily. The brunette doesn’t know what to do at first, especially when she sees her phone in Sabrina’s hand.

“It’s funny…” Sabrina starts as she looks at the device in her hand. “I can’t believe I was stupid enough to believe that Alison’s just some old friend that you randomly met up with in Vegas.”

Emily looks away.

She continues, “At first, I thought she’s a naturally flirty person. Like last night at dinner. I figured she’s just… like that. Whatever, that’s fine,” sighing, her eyebrows raise as she shakes her head, “What made me more curious was the way you acted last night after  _ very obviously _ trying to one-up each other at the dinner table. God, Emily, I’ve  _ never  _ seen you like that. To think that I believed you were only so touchy-feely because you actually missed me…”

The brunette refuses to look at Sabrina. Instead, she crosses her arms in defense.

“So, I found your phone up here and, well, I’m glad I was curious. That’s quite the Instagram picture.”

“You  _ seriously  _ went through my phone?” is the first thing she says, eyebrows furrowed. “You could’ve asked me what's going on.”

“Bullshit, Emily! You wouldn’t have told me a goddamn thing. You never do.”

She begins to walk away once the girl raises her voice multiple volumes, only to be stopped when the blonde continues to rant.

“You’re using me, aren’t you?” she grits her teeth. “It’s like… you go away for four days and suddenly you’re a whole different person.”

Emily shakes her head, earning a scoff from the girl in front of her. 

Meanwhile, Alison stands at the bottom of the stairs, eyes sympathetic as she listens to the entire exchange. She leans on the wall, head tilted against a spindle of the railing as her arms cross in front of her because, honestly, she feels uncomfortable with the way Sabrina is raising her voice.

“No,” the brunette finally finds her voice, “I’m the same person. The same person who’s  _ tired  _ of being pulled back and forth.”

Sabrina breathes out a bitter laugh, “How do you know her, anyway? I know you’ve known her for a while because you seem to understand each other pretty damn well. Like tonight at dinner. I barely get any acknowledgement from you all fucking day, but Alison asks if you're alright and, suddenly, she gets an answer.”

No response. Sabrina stares at her, eyes boring into the girl's temple.

“Well?” her tone is sharp. “Are you going to tell me how you know her so well, or not?”

“She’s an old… friend.”

“Why’d you hesitate?” Sabrina asks and, a floor below, Alison’s lips part as her eyes close with a regretful body language.

“What?” Emily blinks.

“Just now. Why did you hesitate?” 

“I don’t━”

“Don’t you dare lie to me, Emily,” she warns, tossing the brunette’s phone onto the mattress behind where she stands.

The other girl sighs, “Okay... in high school, I used to━”

“━like her? Well, that makes sense,” suddenly, she shakes her head and begins walking around the room, packing up whatever stuff she’s brought over within recent weeks.

“What do you mean by that?” Emily frowns as she turns to the girl who storms around the bedroom.

The blonde ignores the question. Actually, she totally dismisses the question for two minutes as she goes back and forth within the confines of the room, eventually ending up with two, stuffed bags full of her personal items. Emily remains standing there, a frown painted across her face as her forehead creases with every, silent second. She tries using the girl’s name to get her attention but nothing works, especially when Sabrina takes out her key ring and unhooks the brunette’s house key from the silver object, earning constant, empty eyes as she throws it onto the nearby dresser. Once Emily’s ignored for another minute longer, Sabrina finally turns back to her, bags in her arms as she now stands in front of the door.

“Look, I’m not going to be  _ used  _ for some petty game. If you want to get back at her for whatever-it-is, fine, but do it without me and call me when you’re finished,” she states before adding, “preferably when she’s gone. For now, I'm done with  _ whatever _ this is. You're way too goddamn caught up in her.”

Her arm throws the door open fully, causing Alison to scurry back into her room so she doesn’t get caught. 

Sabrina storms down the stairs with full arms, struggling to get the front door open but eventually succeeding. She slams it shut a moment later, followed by Emily walking down the stairs with a tinge of embarrassment. 

Her fingers fumble with the lock as she clicks it into place, afterwards leaning her forehead against the wooden barrier. She rests for a moment, not realizing that she’s being stared at by Alison whose features are soft with  _ extreme  _ guilt this time. Finally, she turns around, brown eyes catching sight of the blonde who stands in the hallway, wringing her hands with a tiny, wondering frown and sympathetic eyes.

Emily swallows hard in response, shakily smiles, and says, “See? I took care of it.”

Alison’s lips part but, before she can say anything, Emily runs up the stairs, only able to hear the tail end of a soft “Em,” as the blonde tries to follow but stops at the first step.

A door closes upstairs and Alison bows her head. She huffs as she drags herself back into the guest room, slowly latching the door behind her. 

Her hands rub at her eyes within seconds, letting out a slight groan because, honestly, this entire thing is stressing them both out so it might as well be left alone. No, she isn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet because, let’s be real, their friends bet a great deal on this and, if she isn’t bothered to the point of wanting to jump out a window, then she might as well stick around.

On the other hand, Emily probably wants this to end. So, in the best interest of the brunette, maybe they should…  _ mutually _ end this “marriage.” After all, no one has to say the words: “I give up.” And, if they do, their friends don’t need to know.

But, then again, what if this was Emily’s tactic all along? What if Alison says, “We can mutually stop this,” and Emily turns around to tell everyone that the blonde suggested it first.

Alison looks at the red, plastic ring box that sits on the dresser across the room, only being visible by the few streams of moonlight that somehow bounce between the two close buildings, finding its way through the glass across from the bed. The cheap ring rests inside the case, sitting beside the chapel pen that she had found while rummaging through her luggage after vacation. Upon the sight, the blonde throws herself back onto the pillows, pulling one over her face and groaning loud.

Next, her thoughts begin to bring up what Sabrina said only minutes ago:  _ “I know you’ve known her for a while because you seem to understand each other pretty damn well.” _ It certainly came with the implication that Emily seems to still feel things, especially when the angry girl said,  _ “Well, that makes sense.” _ Like the brunette, Alison was waiting for an answer as to what that meant. Realistically, she could’ve meant plenty of things, but Alison can hazard a good guess as to the correct answer and, honestly, she doesn’t know how to feel about it. _ “You're way too goddamn caught up in her,” _ Alison bites her lower lip at the statement, closing her eyes until she opens them to stare at the ceiling.

Everything is so messed up, she thinks, and so much time has passed since they’ve actually talked about things without being intoxicated and/or hurt, sassy, or spiteful. Maybe, if they did, something could━ 

No, she shakes her head, nothing could ever happen. Their feelings took place a long time ago and, even then, she’s not sure if she really  _ felt  _ anything ━ or is she? Alison rolls her eyes and bites her inner cheek, forcing the thought away. 

Their entire vacation trip was a mistake and they should’ve simply… left the past in the past whilst in Vegas. But, of course, they  _ didn’t _ , and now they’re dealing with the aftermath which is gaining weight with every piece of destruction; tonight, Emily’s “relationship” suffered part of the snowball effect and Alison wonders if anything else will happen in the near future, no matter if they sit back and relax, or not.

Her eyes slam shut at the thought, completely ignoring Mona and Hanna who continue to blow up her phone after an hour of not answering. For now, she just wants to take deep breaths and, soon, get sucked into a world of sleep because they’re heading to Holbrook’s house tomorrow and there’s a fifty percent chance that the trip will be a total disaster ━ or maybe far beyond that percentage.

_ “Because you don’t want to see anyone other than yourself playing cat and mouse with Emily’s feelings.” _

Thoughts of Mona’s text swirl in her mind, again taking the pillow and muffling her groan because she fucking hates that her friends know her more than she knows herself. Okay, fine, Alison admits that, yes, only  _ she’s  _ allowed to toy with the brunette's emotions, but she refuses to say the words ━ or even  _ hint  _ at the idea. She doesn't care if it's in a less-than-harmful way, nowadays, or even relatively playful. It’s a passing feeling, she muses, probably because they recently fell back into one another’s lives. It’ll be gone soon… right?

Again, Alison takes a deep breath, successfully clearing her mind with steady inhales and exhales until she eventually drifts off to sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, as I was saying in last chapter's author's note: It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt… and maybe this is karma but it's also conflicting. 
> 
> So, Emily's attitude this chapter was practically the polar opposite of last chapter's ending. The best way I can explain it is… you know those days where you're on top of the world and nothing can stop you, but you wake up the next morning and suddenly you're questioning your entire existence? Basically, that's what happened; sure, Emily was pissed about Alison's stunt to wake her up, but it didn't just literally jolt her awake ━ quite frankly, it was a big slap in the face that Emily needed; she's finally taking a good look at herself and wondering what she's doing and asking why she's doing it. Yes, she still attempted to get under Alison's skin via using Sabrina, but that didn't work and, suddenly, she didn't understand a damn thing.
> 
> Although I'm sure no one was exactly thrilled about Sabrina's existence (and Emily's choice to sleep with her in Ch 5), what about that fight at the end? Now, I don't like seeing Emily get dragged (well, considering last chapter… I'll make an exception), but Sabrina's words are important; it was just another meaningful kick in the ass that Emily needed ━ and so did an eavesdropping Alison. Side note: Emily, booboo, put a passcode on your phone.
> 
> What does everyone think's going through Alison's mind right now? I sense that we've… kinda… struck feelings…
> 
> Remember, a major theme of this fic is "game on," so, although the "spiteful" games end here… keep an eye out. I refuse to get rid of that playful element and I promise it'll be good. This way, the slow-burn can begin. Actually, in a way, things are going to go extremely fast, but more so in a foundation-sense. Soon, you're going to look back at Ch's 1-5 and think, "Wow, look how different we are now." Again, intentional, but it's a good thing.
> 
> Someone in the reviews pointed out something that I really strive to make known in the story, and I'm extremely relieved that I achieved it one way or another: Both of these girls have such big vulnerabilities that they're not attempting to torture one another solely because they're bored and/or dislike one another. In fact, they like (and I emphasize that) each other. That's clear. But, at the same time, they're hurt for different reasons; Emily never obtained closure with Alison (not even a simple "I'm sorry") from their high school years, whereas Alison is bothered by the fact that Emily is still holding a grudge and is willing to be petty as all hell when all she wanted to do was make amends. Alison is very, very fragile and I cannot stress that enough, even if Emily has looked the most vulnerable thus far (regarding emotions).
> 
> Take a look at the sneak peek!
> 
> ━ X X X ━
> 
> "Whatcha doing?" Alison looks at Emily's hands, noticing that the girl's playing with her fingers as if she's nervous.
> 
> "Nothing," the brunette breathes out as quiet music plays in the background, not paying any attention to the slow-dancers in front of their banquet table. "Thinking," she mutters.
> 
> "About?"
> 
> "Honestly?" Emily faces the girl sitting next to her, earning a head nod.
> 
> She waits a moment before looking down and saying, "You," earning a smile from Alison.
> 
> The blonde goes to answer after seconds of allowing the statement to linger, but she's quickly cut off by the same, rookie journalist who introduced himself at dinner.
> 
> "You again," he comments with a beaming smile that Emily rolls her eyes at, straightening her back as she sits.
> 
> "Uh, yeah," Alison purses her lips. "Hi… again."
> 
> "Enjoying the event?" the man attempts to hold a conversation but the blonde wants to kick him because he's not the person she's trying to talk to.
> 
> "Yup."
> 
> "Do you want to dance?" again, he smiles heavily and Emily feels herself wanting to speak up but keeps her mouth shut for the sake of not being overbearing ━ and for the sake of not saying anything that'll give CeCe a bad reputation.
> 
> "I don't think my wife would like that," Alison replies ever-so-casually, earning a raised eyebrow and a blunt laugh from the guy standing in front of them while Emily feels a tiny smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.
> 
> "She doesn't have to know," comes his response and the brunette clears her throat emphatically, causing Alison to seal her lips to contain a laugh when the journalist's eyes widen with a nervous grin.
> 
> "I'm sorry. You weren't wearing a ring and I━I…" he stumbles over his words and Alison offers a tight-lipped smile before he walks away.
> 
> "That worked surprisingly well," the blonde nods, looking at Emily with a softer expression. "I'll definitely be using that line more often."
> 
> ━ X X X ━
> 
> Next update: Monday.
> 
> For now, enjoy the rest of your week and don't forget to leave me some love!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ew, it's Monday… but yay, it's posting day!
> 
> To answer a question I've received ━  
> Q: How did Emily afford this pretty nice house? Are we to assume that her Dad left her money when he died? ━ A: Wellp, I've painted Emily more as a saver than a spender (which I'll eventually comment on). She's not one to live a luxurious life and, although it sounds nice, it's not large, nor is it in the best neighborhood. It's spacious enough for two people, however, which is why I forced Sabrina to go home (not really but also yes). As for Emily's father, he's very much alive. My little heart wanted Wayne in this story, so Mr. and Mrs. Fields are alive and well, though Emily hasn't spoken to them as of late which will be brought up.
> 
> To those who are wondering when Paige will be "lurking" (this made me laugh, guest reviewer)... I'd say… be prepared for her to appear in the middle of the story, but it's for a very short time, though her presence is surprisingly helpful when it comes to moving the story along. Paige actually shows up in my favorite chapter (no that's not the reason why), so… there's something to remember.
> 
> Let's get this show on the road (literally because we're heading to Holbrook's house).

Emily and Alison sit at the kitchen table, silently eating bowls of cereal. Actually, for the most part, the blonde is eating whereas the other girl pushes around the Cheerios floating in her dish, remaining quiet while blue eyes sometimes glance in her direction.

It’s been this way since she woke up. In fact, Alison was already in the kitchen when she slumped down the stairs, and the brunette only mustered up the words _“Good morning”_ as the other girl nodded with a smile that showed she’s trying to keep a positive-feeling atmosphere in the house. Alison had recently brewed a fresh pot of coffee at the time, slowly pouring her own mug before clasping it between her hands and sitting at the table. She pulled out her phone as Emily rummaged through the cabinet whilst looking for her own mug, hardly getting out a quiet _“Thanks for the coffee”_ to Alison whose head shot up at the sound.

_“I don’t mean to keep asking, but are you okay?” the blonde barely looks at the girl now sitting adjacent to her, both sipping coffee every now and then._

_“Um,” she swallows hard after licking her lips in thought, “I don’t know. I know I will be, but…” her voice trails off, soon adding, “Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”_

Her chair pushed out soon after, set on preparing two bowls of cereal once she changed the subject and asked Alison if she’d like some. The blonde frowned at the abrupt topic-switch but nodded in response, not bothering to pry because if Emily wanted to talk, she would.

Solely judging by Emily’s body language, Alison can tell that the girl’s thinking long and hard about what happened last night. Maybe, she thinks, it’s about what happened with Sabrina _and_ what the furious blonde had said during their “break-up.” On the other hand, if Alison is correct, then which is bothering her more?

Alison knows what’s bothering herself, however. Her thoughts were merciless before she fell asleep last night, that’s for sure, but this morning… they started back up and swirled more and more. Currently, she internally groans because, honestly, if she knew about Emily’s current, probable struggle back when they were teenagers, she would’ve used the information to her advantage but, right now, all she wants to do is not think anymore. It’s especially hard since they’re still in the midst of this ridiculous bet, which means they’re still married, which means━

Emily’s phone begins to ring on the kitchen island behind where they sit. The brunette groans at the sound but gets up anyway, walking over to the device and tilting her head as she approaches. When she sees that it’s Aria instead of someone unwanted, her finger swipes to answer the call and she raises the device to her ear with a put-off “Hello?”

 _“Hey there,”_ the girl’s voice is cheery, _“just wanted to see how you’re doing. Haven’t heard from you much.”_

“I’m sorry,” Emily bows her head as Alison watches from the table, “I’ve been distracted.”

 _“It’s okay. No need to apologize,”_ now, her tone makes it seem as though she senses a discomfort in the tanned girl’s words. _“How’s Alison?”_

Her brown eyes flicker to the blonde who sits nearby, ultimately looking away quickly when she’s being stared at.

“She’s good. Still getting used to everything, I think,” Emily shrugs and Alison purses her lips.

At first, no answer comes, but then Aria gets out a soft and concerned _“Are you okay, Em?”_

Emily wants to roll her eyes at the fact that, clearly, she sucks at pretending she’s fine because everyone’s been able to tell that she’s putting up a front.

“I had a bad night,” she settles on saying and Alison’s eyebrows raise because that’s an understatement.

_“Because of… Alison?”_

“No, no,” Emily shakes her head, though Aria can’t see.

 _“Okay, well, call me if you want to talk. I won’t bother you, otherwise,”_ again, her voice sounds concerned but relenting, somewhat allowing Emily to have as much space as she needs.

“Thank you. I will,” the brunette sighs. “I meant it when I said I’ll make more time for you guys. It’s just rough right now, I guess,” she rubs her forehead.

_“Em, please don’t worry about it. We’ll always be around.”_

“Okay,” her throat feels like it’s tightening up but, within seconds, she looks at the ceiling because she refuses to cry or anything of the sort since Alison is _right there_.

_“I hope your day gets better.”_

“Thanks. I’ll text you later.”

With that, they hang up and Emily breathes out heavily, still being watched by the girl who sits at the table.

Alison wonders why Emily never told her friends about Sabrina because, quite frankly, it’s pretty damn evident that they have no idea; if they had known about Emily’s fling, the brunette would’ve bothered using her name at least once. On the other hand, maybe Emily didn’t think it was important enough to mention to her best friends. Maybe, Alison thinks, she knew it wouldn’t work out, so she didn’t bother. Either way, it’s clear that the brunette is wounded by something, so that’s enough to make Alison keep her mouth shut for the most part.

“When will you be ready to go?” Emily’s voice breaks Alison out of her thoughts, blue eyes snapping up to meet brown.

“Oh,” she shakes her head, quickly getting up and walking over to the sink so she can rinse her cereal bowl, “um, I need to change and brush my teeth. Otherwise…” she turns around, leaning against the counter as Emily studies her.

The brunette nods, “Okay. Let me know.”

“Mhm,” Alison smiles before moving toward her room, only looking back at Emily once more as she catches sight of the girl staring at the countertop with an empty expression.

Emily walks around the kitchen once the other girl is gone. She gathers a few snacks and tucks them inside a small bag, just in case they get hungry during the ride. Next, she grabs a couple of water bottles and puts them next to the bag, afterwards backing up until she’s leaning against the countertop. Her hands rub at her eyes and she grunts at the stinging sensation, regretting the multiple hours that she had cried the previous night.

She takes a deep breath, wondering when everything grew ten times more complicated. She was happy before Vegas or, well… at least relaxed. Okay, that’s a lie, but it’s so much easier to say that life was better before she got woven into a clusterfuck of stupid situations. Emily rolls her neck as she stands around in the kitchen; she knows that she’s lying to herself and making things worse by doing so, but it’s not like she can openly admit that, yeah, she’s felt more alive ever since she and Alison began exchanging “what now?” one-ups ━ even though, wholeheartedly, she _has_. Really, it’s odd, especially because she’s usually such a quiet, reserved person, but now all she wants to do is live a little.

Additionally, ever since Alison’s been back in her life, things have gotten way more confusing. God, she always believed that she’s better off without the girl in her life but, once she walked up to the group of girls in Vegas, Emily felt as though six years of closeted feelings slapped her in the face one by one. She couldn’t deal with them properly, to say the least, and probably still can’t. She doesn’t want to, actually, and almost refuses to admit anything along the lines of feeling some sort of emotion toward the girl that’s been back in her life for days now. Even when they’re “arguing,” she can’t stop thinking about Alison. Honestly, after yesterday morning, the girl was constantly on her mind and maybe that’s why she was so lost; Emily has no idea what to do and it’s wracking her brain.

Sabrina’s words didn’t help much, either. If she hadn’t been thinking about Alison before that… _fuck_ . Emily bites her lower lip and looks at the kitchen island in front of her, wondering what, _specifically_ , tipped Sabrina off when it comes to the brunette’s feelings ━ _old_ feelings, she reminds herself. Sure, they were exchanging sharp tones and blows, but it’s not like Emily was eyefucking Alison the entire day. She frowns at the thought, hoping that she really hadn’t been because, if so, it _definitely_ wasn’t intentional and now she’s starting to panic since━

“Are you ready to go?” the blonde stands nearby as she wrings her hands in curiosity, not exactly wanting to break Emily out of her deep thoughts since she’s been standing there for minutes.

“Oh, yeah,” she quickly grabs the water bottles and bag of snacks so they can head to Philadelphia.

Alison walks through the living room and makes it to the front door, soon turning to Emily and acting as though she wants to say something before they leave, but no words come out and, instead, she stands there with a timid body language. The brunette’s forehead creases at the change in attitude, wondering what’s going through the girl’s mind, but she doesn’t press the issue and opens the door for Alison after another second. The blonde smiles partly and walks through the doorway, hastily bounding down the small path in front of the house and coming to a standstill in front of Emily’s black car. Once the door is locked, the other girl follows suit and maneuvers around the front of the car.

Before Emily opens the car door, she hears a regretful sound from Alison who nervously locks eyes with curious brown, and the blonde looks away before explaining, “I really don’t want to ask you this, Emily… but were these scratches here before last night?”

She seals her lips and blinks hard at the question, soon forcing a tight-lipped smile, shaking her head, and breathing out as she slides into the driver’s seat. Alison correctly takes it as a silent “no” and does the same, instantly attempting to get comfortable in the passenger’s seat because the ride is going to take at least two hours and she’s already dreading the entire trip.

When Emily doesn’t turn the car on and simply sits there while staring ahead, Alison whispers, “It’s her loss.”

The brunette shifts her jaw, “I don’t care whose loss it is,” and Alison bows her head at the cold tone, even if she understands that Emily is hurting.

The girl in the passenger’s seat doesn’t respond. Instead, she looks through the window as they pull out of the driveway with the GPS woman talking in a dull voice, smoothly maneuvering along different streets as scenery changes from city-like to an open stretch of highway. Alison plays with her hands, being side-eyed by Emily every now and then.

Internally, the brunette feels like a complete ass now that she’s unintentionally taken frustration out on Alison. It’s not the girl’s fault ━ no matter what Emily _wishes_ she could believe ━ that Sabrina left and, anyway, it’s not like she was all that wrapped up in her, in the first place; Emily knows that she was using Sabrina and, yeah, she’s willing to own up to that. Does she regret it? Of course. Can she change what happened? No. Sabrina deserves better, Emily thinks, and hopefully she’ll find someone who takes the time to appreciate her because the brunette certainly couldn’t.

Suddenly, Emily is chewing her inner cheek while thinking about her choices, somewhat understanding that, sure, she’s gotten into quite a few stupid situations since Alison’s been back but, ultimately, she always has a choice in things and it’s not like she’s always made the “correct” decisions, in the end. Even before everything recent, her relationship with Sabrina was faulty and there’s no way that she can blame it on Alison. She sighs.

“I’m sorry,” Emily pays attention to the road but speaks up, breaking Alison out of her thoughts as narrowed, blue eyes now look in her direction.

She expands on the apology, “I didn’t mean to snap at you before we left.”

“It’s okay,” Alison says but Emily shakes her head.

“It’s not,” she disagrees without missing a beat. “I’ve been blaming you for a lot and I’m sorry. It’s not…” she trails off before starting a new sentence, “I shouldn’t put everything on your shoulders.”

“You haven’t been blaming things on me,” the other girl frowns.

“In my head, I have been,” comes the confession and Alison laughs, earning a pair of side-eyes as a tiny smile tugs at Emily’s lips when she hears the sound because it’s not angry or bitter ━ it’s completely genuine and new.

“That makes two of us,” Alison throws back, earning a semi-playful eye-roll.

“Well, no offense but you haven’t been the _worst_ house guest,” Emily comments, eliciting another laugh from the girl who has a hard time believing the statement.

Before Alison can offer a rebuttal, the brunette continues, “ _Except_ for yesterday morning. I still felt a few damp spots along the side of my bed last night.”

“You deserved it,” is the blonde's response and, at first, the other girl doesn’t react but, soon, nods in agreement.

“Okay, yes,” Emily swallows hard because she doesn’t want to feel like she’s submitting to Alison like she used to, “but you were taunting me all throughout dinner the night before, so.”

“Because you didn’t tell me that you had a…” she trails off, especially when Emily glances in her direction with a pointed look, “…bed buddy.”

The brunette raises her eyebrows at the term, afterwards mumbling, “I’m sorry about that too, and for, um… what I did the first night you were here. I don’t know why I…” no more words come out, the girl’s mouth settling as a deep, tight-lipped frown.

Blue eyes stare in Emily’s direction when Alison hears heavy guilt laced within the girl’s words. Yeah, what she did was beyond fucked (no pun intended), but, for some reason, it sounds as though the brunette’s apology takes on a double-meaning that the blonde smiles sadly at, soon looking at her hands because she doesn’t know how to respond.

Emily, once taking a deep breath to focus more on the road, looks over her shoulder and switches lanes as they enter Delaware ━ meaning that they only have, roughly, fifty minutes until they reach Holbrook’s house.

“Should I be expecting to meet Holbrook while we’re there?” she timidly asks, seeing Alison tense up at the mention of her ex.

“No,” is the initial, short reply, “he usually leaves for his friendly poker games around twelve-thirty, so we should be getting there only a few minutes earlier. We’ll wait in the car until he leaves. I don’t want to see him.”

Emily senses her discomfort and nods, feeling bad for the blonde because she seems so guarded now that he’s been briefly mentioned. To help take her mind off the man, the brunette turns the radio’s volume up so music fills the car. She absentmindedly hums to the song, earning an amused sound from Alison who quickly looks away after locking eyes with Emily.

The brunette focuses on the road again, sighing because they still have about twenty minutes left to drive _and_ the entire way home. At the thought, she begins to wonder if Alison has a car and/or a license. She doesn’t ask the question, however, and decides to wait until they reach Philadelphia to see for herself if the blonde simply hasn’t had a chance to get it.

“So,” Emily speaks up, “how’s the guest room? Or, I mean… _your_ room.”

“It’s nice,” Alison’s voice is sincere. “Honestly, it’s nicer than my old bedroom.”

“Really?”

“Mhm,” the blonde looks at the girl who continues to drive carefully. “It’s comforting.”

“Good. I was hoping that it wouldn’t be too boring for you.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, it could use a little… _something_ , but nothing too bad,” she teases, earning an eye-roll and a small laugh.

“I’ve been meaning to renovate some of the rooms,” Emily explains. “Maybe we can work on it.”

“The loft-area-thing with the pool table is nice,” Alison comments.

“When did you━oh… right,” Emily raises her eyebrows and laughs at herself, remembering that Alison had likely seen it when she decided to waste a pitcher of water.

Alison snickers at the realization, soon losing grasp of the entertainment factor when they’re driving through a familiar neighborhood. She feels like the air is being sucked out of her lungs as they approach her old street, causing her to sink back into the seat as her eyes peek at the scenery.

She’s never liked the neighborhood, especially because most of the trees and grass are dead as they line broken sidewalks. The houses are tiny and run-down, aside from the few, remodeled buildings that _attempt_ to grow greener grass on their front lawn. Her old house, in particular, is a light-brown color with shingles missing here and there. The front door is dark-green, being fronted by an old, rickety porch lined with wilted, potted plants. Technically, it’s never been great. The only time it ever had potential was when they first bought it and, within weeks, Alison began to understand why it was so cheap, noting the cold air flowing through the walls at every given time, the leaky faucet, and the faulty appliances.

“Stop here,” Alison commands softly, earning a frown from Emily because they’re at least three houses away from the typed-in address.

“Are you━”

“Please,” she states again, eyes pointed as she stares at the brunette who, upon hearing the tone, pulls up to someone else’s house and parks against the curb, turning off the ignition.

Alison unbuckles and focuses on her old house, noting Holbrook’s car still parked in the driveway. She squints at the vehicle and, similarly, Emily searches the area in mounting wonder regarding Alison’s car ━ or lack thereof; it thoroughly interests her knowing that the blonde seemingly doesn’t have a car, yet teenage Alison was always so eager to drive before any of their other friends could.

Soon, they both witness a man walking out of the house and getting into the car, settling into his seat before turning on the ignition. Immediately, Alison’s paranoia begins to skyrocket, wondering what he’d do if he caught them lingering on the side of the road, but, next to her, Emily unbuckles and looks at the time: 12:33 P.M.

She chuckles, getting out a mumbled “Wow, right on time” before Alison panics, “He’s going to be driving this way,” and her eyes dart around the space with a tight-lipped expression before reclining her seat backwards and harshly pulling Emily’s face close to hers so the man won’t be able to tell who they are through a muffled view when the brunette is leaning over her ━ actually, she’s practically on top of her. During the abrupt process, Alison earns a sharp yet flat “Um, _ow_ ” once Emily feels nails digging into her jaw to keep her in place, accidentally having her left hand end up on the blonde’s thigh while her right elbow rests against the center console.

Alison, hearing the tone, whispers a sheepish “Sorry” to Emily who seals her lips shut because they’re only inches away from touching noses and the girl’s hand is still lingering on her cheek.

Blue eyes semi-awkwardly look around the front of the car as they remain close, especially once Alison realizes that she’s still cupping Emily’s jaw ━ not to mention the fact that the brunette’s hand slides down until it’s just above her knee, both girls not knowing how to react. Seconds pass and Alison accidentally lets herself glance at Emily’s lips as the other girl does the same, not feeling like she’s breathing at all. The blonde waits a few, extra seconds while, for some reason, struggling to find her voice. Emily swallows hard in the meantime, soon watching Alison push upwards to search their surroundings in order to make sure Holbrook’s car is finally past them. Meanwhile, the brunette stays in the same position while leaning over the console, and furrows her eyebrows because she has no idea what just━

“I have a confession to make,” Alison fixes her seat to its previous position, turning to face the girl sitting next to her.

Emily stays silent, head tilted at a barely noticeable angle.

The blonde clears her throat and mutters, “I don’t exactly have a key,” as her eyes look around the space in faux innocence, knowing full well that Emily won’t be happy with her plan.

“So, how do you expect to get inside?” is the question that follows.

Alison makes a face with raised eyebrows, forcefully turning away even though she can still see the brunette’s face of realization until the girl shakes her head heavily with wide eyes.

“No way, Alison. We are _not_ breaking in,” she continues shaking her head with an incredulous look written across her face. “Why didn’t you tell me that you don’t have a key, before we left?”

“I figured you wouldn’t help me, if you knew,” Alison purses her lips.

“You figured correctly!”

A sigh falls from the blonde’s lips and she stares at Emily who doesn’t budge worth a damn. After another minute, Alison shifts in her seat and opens her door, notifying, “I’m going to try the back window. He usually leaves it unlocked for emergencies since it’s higher up and no one can easily sneak in.”

“Alison,” Emily hisses, trying to get the girl to sit down but the door slams shut and, on sight, the brunette is throwing herself against the back of her seat and groaning heavily.

She watches Alison run across the neighboring yards while leaning her head in her hand until she groans louder and pushes her door open so she can chase the girl.

Her feet take her in the blonde’s previous path and she quietly calls her name, wondering where she wandered off to. When she doesn’t see Alison anywhere on the side of the house, she continues moving toward the backyard, passing a chain link fence’s gate in the process while the ground slopes downwards.

As she goes to turn the house’s corner, Alison’s name falls from her lips again but, before she can take another step, she’s nose to nose with the blonde who holds a finger to her lips in a scolding manner. Again, blue eyes drift to Emily’s lips because they’re only inches away but, within seconds, the girl backs up and jogs over to a small, metal ladder hidden behind an old, collapsed shed.

“What the hell are you━”

“Shh,” Alison shoots her a look and Emily shuts up, watching the ladder be placed near the base of a higher window.

The blonde climbs up and shoves the glass upwards, casually making her way into the house as Emily looks around before following. She wants to groan at the entire concept of sneaking into someone’s house ━ _especially_ an ex-cop’s ━ but follows Alison, nonetheless, because she’s not about to let something happen to the blonde just because she’s a paranoid wreck.

Somehow, she makes it into the house without tripping over anything and they’re both standing in a short, narrow hallway. When Alison sees that the girl successfully made it into the house, she shuts the window behind them before taking a sharp right to move into the bedroom. Emily follows suit, noting the lack of anything personal within the room aside from a mattress and box spring, a dresser, a small closet, and clothes strewn along the floor. Wow, Emily muses, now it’s understandable why the guest room is so “comforting.”

Immediately, the blonde goes into the closet and finds a couple of canvas bags before running over to a rusty, inactive wall vent and pulling the cover off so she can sift through multiple items, eventually reaching further in to pull out a stack of money attached to a number of cards and papers. Emily sees and her eyes widen, but she doesn’t question it because she’s too busy being on edge about this entire trip. She hears Alison put the vent cover back into place with a soft “Okay,” followed by the blonde moving across the room and stuffing some of her clothing items into the bags. Additionally, brown eyes see her snatch smaller items and multiple reading materials, though she can’t tell what they are from first glance.

“I’ve been meaning to ask…” Emily speaks for the first time since they entered. “Why don’t you have a car?”

“Uh…” Alison seems taken aback, pausing for a moment before shaking her head and going about her frantic packing. “I don’t know. I didn’t have money to splurge and didn’t find it necessary,” she lies, not quite feeling like explaining that Holbrook never enjoyed the thought of the blonde having a way to “escape” ━ an actual word he used to accuse her when she originally proposed the idea of a second car, resulting in a larger argument.

Emily frowns, more so because she notes the fact that Alison _just_ inserted a huge chunk of cash into one of the bags.

“Do you need to take any more clothes?” the brunette watches the girl look around.

“No,” she exhales, “I’ll be fine. I have the basics and I’ll buy more eventually.”

Within seconds, they hear a car door slam somewhere close by and both girls freeze where they stand. Alison’s eyes narrow but, when the sound of the front door being unlocked can be heard, she shoves Emily into the closet and shuts the slatted, wooden doors to close them into the space. She barely breathes as they crouch down in the tiny space, Emily being practically pressed against the back wall. Alison peers through the cracks as much as she can, waiting to see Holbrook walk into the bedroom but thanking herself for being smart and keeping everything looking the way it was before they trespassed.

She whispers, “Why the hell is he back?” while trying to see as much as possible, talking to herself for the most part.

They hear someone walking around in the kitchen, followed by papers rustling as the man grunts at whatever, almost like he’s searching for something. Suddenly, Emily starts chuckling behind Alison, earning a brief look until blue eyes peer through the cracks once more.

“You know,” she lets out another, small laugh, keeping her voice extremely quiet as Alison faces away from her, “I never imagined myself stuffed back into a closet.”

“Ha-ha, you’re so funny,” she mocks with a blunt tone, not glancing back at the girl who’s still pressed against the wall, a select few clothing items hitting her in the head.

“Thanks, that’s probably the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” she teases.

“Now is _so_ not the time,” Alison rolls her eyes while staring into the room to make sure that Holbrook isn’t coming, albeit ends up slightly smiling because someone seems to be feeling better compared to this morning,

“Oh, really? I think it’s the best time,” she continues. “In case you haven’t noticed, things don’t go the smoothest for us, anyway. Might as well have fun while we can.”

The blonde finally shifts backwards and faces Emily with scolding, “seriously?” eyes, though the tanned girl can barely see much of anything aside from the light sneaking through the door’s cracks.

“I am _not_ having fun,” she lectures as they hear Holbrook slam something in the kitchen, earning two pairs of narrowed eyes until Emily responds.

“Well, I’m sure having a blast.”

“Is _everything_ a joke to you?” she raises an eyebrow.

Emily’s brown eyes widen with a curt laugh, “I’m hiding in a closet within the house I snuck into _with_ the girl that I drunk-married in Vegas on the second night of us re-meeting since she bullied me in high school. So, yes… everything _is_ a joke,” her voice is quiet but forceful, coming out like a hiss even though she’s not entirely serious ━ not to say that there isn’t _some_ truth to her words… or a lot.

In turn, Alison pauses for a moment before mumbling, “I didn’t _bully_ you. I just… teased you.”

Emily rolls her eyes.

“ _And_ ,” the blonde continues, “I did it to a lot of people. Not only you.”

“You must be so proud,” the sarcastic remark comes next.

“No, actually, I’m not,” Alison’s tone is now completely serious and Emily can sense a tinge of regret laced into her words, so she keeps her mouth shut; it’s no fun kicking someone when they’re down ━ especially when it was truly a stupid joke to begin with.

Before Emily can figure out what to say, the two hear the front door slam shut and lock from the outside, followed by the sound of a car starting up and soon driving away with a broken muffler.

Alison pushes the closet door open once she feels okay enough, quickly getting out and brushing herself off as Emily crawls back into the room. The blonde studies the space again, hands on her hips as she notes the overfilled bags at her feet.

“Looks like I have everything,” she remains searching the area.

“Are you _sure_?” Emily’s eyes widen as Alison finally faces her. “I’m not coming back here.”

The blonde makes a face before turning around again, walking back and forth as though she’s thinking about if she’s forgotten something. Suddenly, her body language stiffens and her pace quickens as she exits the room without telling Emily where she’s going, earning a confused frown from the brunette who follows close by.

Alison runs over to a thin, cheap table that resides next to a worn-out, green chair, snatching a flashy necklace off the surface and holding it clasped in her palm. When the blonde doesn’t turn around within seconds, Emily’s curiosity grows more, but Alison never answers her unasked questions, so she decides to voice one.

“What is it?” the brunette’s voice makes the girl jump, hesitantly turning around with parted lips.

Alison stares at the item, smiling a fraction as she rubs her thumb over it.

“It’s my mom’s. It belonged to her before she passed, I mean,” the blonde purses her lips. “It’s the one thing I’ve really held onto.”

Emily tilts her head, listening to the girl’s reminiscent voice as she gazes at the piece of jewelry with mounting sentiment.

She continues with a smile that grows toward the end of her memory, “She always used to wear it to family functions and I’d constantly play with it as a kid, even if I wasn’t supposed to.”

The brunette matches her smile, feeling something in her chest as she watches the girl in front of her have a deep, airy moment. She forces herself to look away a second later, feeling extremely nervous because she shouldn’t be experiencing these conflicting emotions after everything.

Emily clears her throat, “Why wasn’t it stored in a jewelry box? Why was it lying on an end table?”

Alison somewhat shrinks when she hears the question, not looking at Emily in fear that her eyes will begin to water, “We got into an argument and Gabe took it because he knew it’d upset me more than anything. He said he’d be holding onto it until I learned my place.”

The other girl feels herself gain a massive dislike for Alison’s ex, but she pushes the emotion away and focuses on the blonde who now looks around the room with an empty expression. Emily goes to open her mouth in reply to the information but, before she can, Alison swallows hard and curtly declares, “I’m ready to go now,” as she backs down the hallway to get her packed bags.

Emily meets the girl at the window from which they entered, tilting her head at Alison who offers a tight-lipped smile before shoving the glass pane open and climbing through. The brunette assists the blonde girl with the multiple bags and items, making sure she successfully descends the ladder before she follows.

Alison puts the metal item away once they’re ready to go, storing it behind the shed like previously. Emily, on the other hand, waits at the gate and holds Alison’s stuff, allowing the blonde to walk ahead of her so they can shuffle their way to the car.

Carefully, they both run across the remaining, dead lawns, soon tossing Alison’s stuff into the car’s backseat as the blonde girl holds onto her mother’s necklace while getting into the passenger’s seat.

Emily slides into the spot behind the steering wheel, sighing as she buckles and turns on the ignition. Brown eyes glance in Alison’s direction a second later, holding a shade of sympathy because the blonde has barely said a word since standing around in the house’s living room; truly, the brunette knows that she struck some kind of nerve ━ even if unintentional ━ and feels guilty for it, not to mention what she said beforehand.

“Ready to head back?” honestly, she wants to use the word “home” but isn’t sure what Alison views the house as, so she bites her tongue.

Alison, in response, looks in Emily’s direction with parted lips, slowly nodding after three seconds of thick silence. The brunette offers a smile, hoping to get some reaction out of the girl she’s beginning to feel super protective of, but those blue eyes simply blink and look away. Emily, feeling her throat tighten up, stares at the road ahead and focuses on their drive home, hoping that it eases Alison’s nerves and possible frustrations.

Every now and then, Emily can see Alison’s head moving back and forth like she’s falling asleep, but the blonde forces herself awake and blinks heavily. Finally, when she does it for a third time (being only fifteen minutes into the ride), the brunette speaks with a quiet yet comforting voice, looking at Alison.

“You can sleep, if you’d like.”

“I’m not tired,” Alison tries to lie, only to be met with a stern look and that’s when she sighs while lowering her voice with a timid “Are you sure?”

Emily nods.

“Can you wake me up when we get home?”

The brunette feels stunned by the question but, upon sensing something weird in her chest like before, she focuses on her body language to make sure she doesn’t look taken aback, getting out an almost-inaudible “Of course” and earning a tiny smile from Alison who, likewise, feels something funny until she reclines her seat and tilts her head the other way.

The blonde forces her eyes shut, though her thoughts don’t want to shut the fuck up because they’re all beginning to focus on Emily. Although their visit wasn’t the most pleasant because, frankly, the brunette’s words sometimes hurt and, after, she was smacked in the face with some not-so-peachy memories regarding Holbrook… Alison just keeps thinking about the girl beside her. She keeps getting these odd feelings. Even before today, admittedly, something had stirred in her stomach a few, random times, but she never paid much attention to them until last night. It’s weird, she thinks, and she bites her bottom lip as she faces the window because her head is beginning to hurt so goddamn much and maybe she _should_ sleep. So, after a few more minutes, she takes a deep breath and empties her mind as much as possible, hoping to rest for most of the ride home.

Emily, on the other hand, pays attention to the road although her mind wanders. Additionally, she finds herself glancing in Alison’s direction repeatedly, somewhat admiring the sight of the girl breathing peacefully as she tries to sleep. When she catches herself, however, she shakes her head and tightens her grip on the wheel, hoping that her old, high school feelings will lock themselves in a box somewhere because she’s not prepared to face them again ━ not with Alison _living_ with her. Again, her brown eyes shift to look at Alison while a smile crosses her face until she bites her bottom lip. Damn it, she thinks, quickly locking her eyes onto the extended road once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How much lighter (and tension-infused) was this chapter? From here on out, we're traveling uphill. Even when we hit a bump in the road, we're still going uphill. I suppose that could be taken as life advice too, hm.
> 
> I mean, yes, we got a bit of background information on how fucky Holbrook is (again) but also how much Mrs. DiLaurentis meant to Alison ━ it's a great deal and Mrs. DiLaurentis plays a large role in how Alison acts/makes decisions which, as of now, doesn't seem all that great but, trust me, there are so many underlying things you don't know about just yet. The money thing will be brought up again, by the way; Emily will certainly find out all about Alison's relationship with Holbrook and how deep-rooted her regrets are.
> 
> And what about Emily? She's improving, to say the least, when it comes to speaking to Alison, no matter if it's about meaningless things or apologies. On the other hand, she isn't quite ready to admit anything yet, but I suppose that's okay. Baby steps, right? A lot of you were correct, however: she feels guilty about the stunt she pulled the other night (rightfully so), but wants to make up for that. Finally, she's becoming the protective Emily we know and love.
> 
> "No, actually, I'm not," Alison's tone is now completely serious and Emily can sense a tinge of regret laced into her words, so she keeps her mouth shut. ━ Keep an eye on this because it's super important, leading up all the way to chapter twenty.
> 
> You know what I find cute? It seems as though these two can be stressed, upset, or whatever else… but they distract themselves by taking care of the other. In Ch 6, Alison was annoyed and her thoughts were nagging her, but she pushed that aside because Emily didn't seem okay. In this chapter, a few things put Alison's mood down and Emily, although frustrated for her own reasons, decided to focus on Alison to make sure she's okay. Would ya look at that.
> 
> So, Ch 8 is a "continuation" of the same day (and we finally get some Toby/Emily time, in addition to Jason making a Skype appearance), therefore next update comes a few days sooner than normal. You're welcome.
> 
> Next update: Thursday.
> 
> Have a nice week until then (and even after that, obviously), my friends!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is… *checks calendar*... Thursday! You made it.
> 
> If last chapter was about Emily/Alison "realizing" inner feelings, this chapter is about people putting those feelings on display in a "may I remind you?" sort of way.
> 
> After, we'll read a super-fucking-long author's note because so many little things are finally coming into play and I'm an eager pigeon.
> 
> Let's take a look.

“So, let me get this straight…” Toby places his beer bottle down onto the kitchen island that rests between him and Emily, looking at the brunette who stares at her own drink, “you broke into an ex-officer’s house because Alison asked you to?”

She rolls her eyes and tries to defend with a mumble, “It wasn’t exactly _breaking in_ ,” afterwards shaking her head before adding, “The window was open. That’s not our fault.”

He laughs, “That’s still trespassing!”

Emily exhales and leans against the back of the kitchen bar-stool while she sits, keeping a firm grip on her beer while absentmindedly staring past the object.

Once the two girls had gotten home after driving for hours from Philadelphia, the brunette cautiously shook Alison awake, offering a soft _“Ali, we’re home”_ and earning a drowsy _“I’m sorry I slept the entire way.”_ Nevertheless, the blonde climbed out of the car and slumped her way up to the house, casually being followed by Emily who kindly carried the girl’s things. Once inside, the blonde’s bags were placed on her bedspread and Emily gave her a simple nod with a tight-lipped smile, soon backing up until she heard a shy _“Thank you, by the way. For everything.”_ Again, the brunette flashed a smile, that time fuller and more genuine, before walking into the kitchen.

_Alison enters the room where Emily stands as she taps along her phone. Upon hearing the girl approaching, the brunette puts her phone down and smiles a bit, clearing her throat and making eye contact with blue._

_“I think I’m going to head next door to see Toby for a bit,” Emily explains. “Do you… want to come?” she treads cautiously._

_“Oh, um, no thanks,” she shakes her head with a small laugh, earning an underlying, disappointed look from Emily who, somehow, covers it up quickly, “but I was wondering…”_

_The brunette’s head perks up again, a curious expression written across her features._

_Alison continues with a nervous grin, “Can I borrow the car for a couple hours? I want to go job hunting for a little.”_

_Internally, the brunette’s heart flutters a bit and she has to look away; truly, she thinks the girl’s timid nature is adorable because, really, it’s no big deal. On the outside, however, she narrows her eyes and smiles at Alison who waits for an answer._

_“Do you even have your license?” Emily decides to tease._

_Alison rolls her eyes with a similar, childish grin, “Yes, I do.”_

_“Then I don’t see why not,” the girl breathes out as she starts typing on her phone like before. “Technically we’re married, so.”_

_Emily has no idea where the somewhat-joking statement came from but, honestly, wants to kick herself for it because she worriedly glanced up to see Alison’s blue eyes widen a fraction before the girl licked her lips, looked away, and tried to force a nervous smile off her face._

_Alison waits a little longer before responding, “Thank you, then. I’ll, um… see you later,” and backing up, leaving a just-noticeable grin across her lips and Emily looks away with force, suddenly feeling like a young teenager again until she adds an abrupt “But you better be safe. I doubt we signed any insurance papers that night in Vegas.”_

_The blonde snickers at the comment, eventually nodding and leaving the room fully._

Once the girl disappeared, Emily panicked with wide eyes for an additional, ten minutes. She hates the fact that she’s starting to speak without thinking first and truly has no idea why her mouth has a mind of its own nowadays. Things would likely be so much easier if she didn’t blurt things out or make stupid comments but, of course, Alison’s presence probably doesn’t help worth a damn. On the other hand, Emily can tell that the blonde’s having a hard time keeping her blushing at bay, especially when idiotic statements _do_ fall from her lips.

So, without putting off the visit any longer, Emily took a deep breath and made her way across the lawn, afterwards moving toward Toby’s front door and knocking, earning an immediate greeting.

Since then, they’ve been sharing stories and drinking beer, though the brunette isn’t the biggest fan of the beverage. Either way, it’s been some much-needed “bro-time” (so to speak) between the two who continue to relax in Toby’s kitchen ━ well, relaxing for the most part since the man’s been teasing Emily about her new roommate.

“You know,” Toby speaks again, “I’m kind of impressed with this new Emily.”

The brunette shakes her head after taking a sip, “No, no. There’s _no_ new Emily.”

“Ah, I think there is,” he smiles. “Old Emily would have _never_ done any of… well, what you’ve been telling me.”

“If there _is_ a new Emily,” she tilts her head to the side before rambling, “which, by the way, I’m sick of hearing and saying my name right now,” her eyebrow raises at the man standing across from her, “the only reason I’ve been doing these things is because of━”

“Your wife,” Toby offers to fill in the blank, earning a look.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he continues. “Legally, she is.”

Emily raises her eyebrows and turns her head away.

“Okay, okay,” comes his relenting tone as he backs away from the tall, kitchen island, eventually resting against the other countertop with crossed arms. “How do you _really_ feel about everything? The marriage, I mean. I know it wasn’t… _ideal_ , judging based on what I’ve heard from you.”

“It’s _still_ not ideal, per se,” her eyes widen, once again staring at her beer bottle.

“Well, obviously. You hadn’t seen her in, God, how long?”

“Six years.”

“Jeez,” he leans back further, “that’s a long time. Probably not the same Alison DiLaurentis that I once knew.”

Emily rubs her lips together and lets out a small laugh, “She’s not. Like… I can assure you that she’s…” her voice trails off, “ _different_. I guess that’s an accurate word.”

“A good different?”

“A _different_ different.”

A nod follows her cryptic description, “So, is this entire thing still…” Toby’s voice goes quiet when he can’t think of how to ask what he’s truly wondering.

“Okay,” he approaches the counter separating them, leaning on the surface, “pretend that no one placed bets on this marriage thing. Would you leave her?”

Emily’s mouth opens and closes, not knowing how to answer because it’s really fucking complicated. On one hand, it’s not like she’d be willing to stay with someone who she may still be at odds with, but, on the other hand, would the subtle feelings that she’s been getting _allow_ her to walk away without trying to make things work?

She breathes out at the question, still not knowing how to give a solid answer because her thoughts are starting to feel like spaghetti in a bowl. Judging by the way Toby tilts his head in constant questioning, however, he’s not going to let up, so she sighs heavily before taking another sip of her drink, gently placing the glass bottle back onto the marble countertop.

“I don’t know,” Emily shakes her head with a small whisper. “I just… I have no idea anymore. I feel weird.”

“Because you enjoy being married to her,” he assumes aloud, not displaying an inquisitive tone.

“No, that’s not…” her voice struggles to come out, sighing and starting a new sentence, “When we first started to go back and forth because of this bet, she seemed excited. Not in a good way, but in a ‘you won’t get the best of me’ kind of way. She seemed ready to torture me and, God, her high lasted for a good amount of days,” her eyes widen.

She continues after licking her chapped lips, “Now… I don’t know. It’s almost like she’s… I don’t want to use the word ‘content,’ but it seems like she’s pushing away the idea of torturing me and, instead, giving me an easy exit if I want to take it. She hasn’t mentioned anything, but I… I feel like that’s what she’s doing.”

“Do you want to take it?”

Emily seals her lips at first, again not knowing how to respond until she opens her mouth, “I don’t want to _not_ want to take it. I mean… Toby,” her eyes widen as she looks around, seeming beside herself, “I’ve tried to convince myself for _years_ that I’m better off without Alison in my life. If I stop that now…” she takes an exaggerated, deep breath.

“Emily, I’ll be one of the first to admit that Alison pushed me around a lot in high school, but I’ve let go. Not because I’m allowing her to escape after picking on me, but because we’re both better than that. I know there’s good in her and, honestly, I think _you_ know that a lot more than I do.”

No answer.

“I mean, come on… you basically broke into a former police officer’s house today _specifically_ for Alison. I know that’s not the best measure of affection, but that’s the most illegal thing you’ve done to date and I’m sure it was because you _care_ . Even if you don’t _want_ to. Before that, the worst you’d done was park in the fire lane,” he chuckles while looking at her, “and that was for like… two minutes because an old lady’s purse broke in the middle of a crosswalk in front of the grocery store.”

Emily laughs at the memory, recalling the way Toby looked at her when she stopped _solely_ to help the older woman.

“I think she’s making you into an _actual_ person. A person with faults, and memories, and… _worries_ ,” Toby crosses his arms like before, smiling. “In some, weird way, I think you’re living more than before you left for Vegas and that’s changed you. It’s made you more human. Maybe you can’t see it, but I do.”

Again, no answer, especially because Emily only internally admits that he somewhat has a point; for a while, she hadn't felt many emotions ━ including worries ━ about anything. For the most part, she’d go through life unentertained and unsatisfied, but that's changed in recent days ━ to a degree, at least. Unfortunately, with this new, “human” nature and memory-realization, her faults are _certainly_ coming out ━ big time. In fact, she wishes she could redo the past however-many days. Regardless of the harmful things she's done and/or said recently, she's re-learning herself and maybe that's a good thing.

“Take this, for example,” he gestures between the two of them, both drinking beer in his kitchen on a Wednesday evening. “We haven’t hung out in, jeez, how long? This is the first time in a while that you’ve been able to walk across our front lawns to hang out. I think it has to do with how she’s making you feel. Conflicted? Sure, but also… _awake_.”

“Toby, I’m━”

“I don’t want an apology, Em,” Toby shakes his head. “That’s not why I’m saying it. I know you’ve been caught up in whatever or _whoever_.”

Her lips part at the hint regarding Sabrina, remembering that she hadn’t told him anything specifically because she didn’t want him to tell Spencer.

“Yeah, I notice more than you think,” he laughs when she can’t formulate a response, “but, don’t worry, I didn’t tell anyone. I knew that, if you wanted us to know, you’d tell us.”

“Thank you,” she looks down at her hands, gripping the glass.

“Why _didn’t_ you tell us, though?”

“I knew it wouldn’t last,” the confession falls from her lips. “She was… I don’t want to say that she was _there_ , but she was. I don’t know what I was thinking, really.”

“Have you ever considered that you've always been too distracted by a certain someone? After everything. Even if you _tried_ to… not be.”

Emily takes a sip of her beer, breathing out afterwards.

“I’m just saying,” he holds his hands up in slight surrender, soon mimicking the girl in front of him as he drinks, “you can’t move forward if you keep looking back,” the rim of his bottle is pointed in Emily’s direction a second later, earning a tiny eye-roll.

“I know, I know,” she admits, “and I _want_ to move forward, but I can’t get over what she held above my head. I remember it so often, even if I don’t want to. It was more than a silly crush to me. I mean… we were best friends and…” her voice dies in her throat.

“What about now? Is it still more than a silly crush?” he catches her off-guard, being faced by wide eyes.

“What?” her lips part.

He stares at her, knowing she registered the words perfectly fine.

“It━it’s not…” she trails off, stuttering.

“Who are you trying to convince?” Toby smiles again, looking at the girl who now glares at him, eventually turning away with a sigh.

“You’ve gotten awfully annoying within the past few months,” Emily makes a face before tasting her drink, almost finishing the beverage that’s now warm and far more disgusting.

“That’s because you weren’t around so I’ve been stuck hanging out with Spencer and CeCe who, by the way, tend to talk about everything that I _don’t_ care for,” he shoots back.

“I’ll have to tell Spencer that you don’t care about her political facts.”

“Oh, she already knows, trust me.”

Emily squints one eye in faux thought, “Okay, then I’ll tell her that you’d rather hang out with me.”

He laughs, “Tell her what you want. It won’t change the fact that you’re only being petty because I actually noticed that you have a real thing for your accidental wife.”

“First off,” she starts, “I said no such thing. Second…” she grows silent, not having a mounting list and internally smacking herself for it.

“Nothing else to say?” Toby teases while finishing his drink. “Funny… you choose that one, specific part of my accusation to pick apart. Does it bother you?”

“Hey,” Emily’s tone is carefree but a bite snide, “remember the time I didn’t hang out with you for, hm, over two months, give or take? I can do that again.”

“So, _so_ petty,” he shakes his head and continues to laugh at the brunette whose eyes go wide at the reaction.

Before she can gain the upper hand, however, the front door opens to reveal Spencer who shuffles inside, getting out a cheery “Oh, hi there, Em” as she shuts the barrier behind her.

She tosses her bag onto a nearby table, soon walking into the kitchen and rounding the center island so she can give Toby a peck on the lips before opening the fridge and stealing some water. Emily holds a strong, unwavering glare as she looks at Toby, not too keen on feeling like she’s lost out on their random, back and forth banter.

“So, what’s up?” Spencer stands next to Toby, directing the question at both her boyfriend and Emily who eases up on her irritated stare.

The tanned girl shrugs, “Not much. Just came to visit for a little.”

“Yeah, it was a nice surprise,” Toby nods. “I’ve been badgering her about Alison the entire time.”

Spencer chuckles for a split second, quickly turning her attention to Emily who senses the impending questions so she’s already staring at the counter underneath her clasped hands.

“How’s that going?”

“Are you asking because you’re curious, or because you want to know if I’ve lost your precious money yet?”

The response seems pretty bitchy but Spencer notes a soft, teasing smile on Emily’s lips. In the end, Spencer nods (more so to herself) and looks away, eventually facing the brunette who sits across from where she stands next to Toby.

“I genuinely want to know, actually. The first few days didn’t seem like the best…” she purses her lips and eyes Emily cautiously.

“That’s an understatement,” the girl offers, earning a snicker from Toby. “Things are going fine. We’re… not really talking about anything having to do with what happened, right now. She’s still trying to settle into the new place. Actually, she took my car to go job hunting before, so.”

“She must be home, then. I saw your car in the driveway as I pulled in,” Spencer explains.

Emily forces a smile and nods at the information, though she suddenly feels like going home because, yeah, she wants to give Alison some alone time, but what if she needs something? It’s not like their day started off well, so what if━

“ _Wow_ ,” Toby comments with a smug look, noting how distracted Emily now seems.

“Do not,” she points at him with a warning glare, earning a frown from Spencer who has no idea what’s going on.

“What?” Spencer looks between the two.

“Don’t,” Emily continues to point at Toby.

“Emily’s catching some real feels,” he taunts in a childish voice, smiling at the brunette who lies her head in her arms while they’re propped up on the counter.

She lets out a muffled groan, not bothering to fight back but, when she lifts her head, both Toby and Spencer are smirking.

“What?” she narrows her eyes at the two who seem far too amused.

“Oh, nothing,” Spencer shrugs. “I just didn’t believe Mona and Hanna when they said that they could tell there’s something between you two, that’s all.”

“What?” her voice sounds like a squeak as she wears disbelieving eyes. “Was there some, secret meeting about us that I wasn't aware of?”

“If it’s a secret meeting, then obviously you wouldn’t have known,” Toby’s words are blunt.

“It wasn’t exactly a _meeting_ ,” Spencer drawls. “It was when we first made the bet. Honestly, I kept denying it. I’m pretty impressed that they’re right.”

“No, no they’re not,” Emily shakes her head. “I never said that━”

“It’s been heavily hinted at,” Toby interrupts.

“Okay, fine. My old feelings are resurfacing a little bit, but that’s all,” she squints her eyes and partially waves her hand in a carefree manner. “I’ll get over it.”

“How’d that work out the first time?” now, Toby’s voice is less amused and more stern, making Emily look away while shifting her jaw because his underlying, pointed tone is right: she never got over it, in the first place.

The brunette breathes out, soon getting off the barstool and grabbing her lone key. The couple watches her with curious eyes, noting the conflicted body language. She doesn’t seem angry, no, but she looks… confused, maybe.

“I’m heading back,” she confesses. “I’ll visit again soon.”

“You better,” Toby states.

Emily exhales with a small laugh and turns around, immediately being stopped in her tracks by Spencer who calls her name.

“Are you still coming to Lucy’s party next Wednesday?” Spencer wonders with a smile. “It’s here, don’t forget.”

“Of course I’m still coming,” Emily laughs. “She’d never forgive me if I missed it.”

“Are you going to bring Alison?” the other brunette smirks, earning an eye-roll and a blunt “Goodbye” from Emily who opens the front door and steps out of the house.

A few weeks ago, Spencer had asked Emily if she’d be able to make it to her niece's birthday party. Lucy is turning six this month, having held a strong admiration for Emily for a couple of years now; basically, the little girl looks at the brunette as if she’s another aunt, as well as Aria since they’ve both been around long enough. Emily, in turn, thoroughly enjoys spending time with Lucy whenever Spencer or Toby babysit, but she hasn’t seen the little girl in months. So, when Spencer presented the idea of having Lucy’s party at Toby’s house since he has an in-ground pool in the backyard, Emily immediately said she’d go. _“All she keeps saying is that she wants to see you for her birthday,”_ Spencer chuckled at the time before adding, _“well… she wants to see you and eat chocolate cupcakes which Melissa is stuck making.”_

The brunette giggles at the memory, shaking her head since she can practically hear Lucy whining because she’s such a little drama queen.

Emily slowly makes it over to her front yard, automatically walking up to the door while twirling the spare key in her hand. Thankfully, she remembered to take it before leaving for Toby’s since Alison had her key chain for the car. She makes a note to give the lone key to Alison in the near future, feeling bad for not presenting the girl with her own way to get into the house already.

Before sticking the piece of metal into the lock, she tilts her head upwards and breathes out, somewhat mentally preparing herself since Toby decided to drill ideas into her head for the past however-many hours. Really, he probably made it much bigger than it really is and Emily curses him for it. It’s not like she’s _that_ confused about Alison. Sure, there are glances here and there while her chest feels fuzzy on the inside, but━

She grunts and opens the door with fumbling hands, wearing a straight line for a mouth because she’s sick of her own, rampant thoughts and the knowing looks that Spencer and Toby were giving her. As she crosses over the threshold, most of the lights are out aside from a table lamp in the living room. She sees the faint light from where she stands in the hallway, automatically locking the door behind her before moving into the living room where she finds Alison reading a comic book.

A smile makes its way across her lips when she studies the sight, not bothering to cover it up because she’s never seen this much interest in the girl’s body language. Soon, however, Alison looks up and glances in Emily’s direction, unintentionally allowing the brunette to see her dark-rimmed glasses. Emily smiles further, leaning against the archway that leads into the living room as she stares at Alison who narrows her eyes.

“What?” the blonde’s forehead creases in curiosity.

Emily points to her own face, motioning around her eyes while claiming, “I like your glasses.”

Alison’s lips part but she frantically takes them off, suddenly feeling way too shy to look at Emily once both her comic book and glasses are sitting on the table next to her. The brunette chuckles at the reaction, still standing in the same spot as she watches Alison’s timid body language.

“When did you get home?” Emily wonders as Alison finally faces her.

“A while ago.”

“Is this all you’ve been doing since you got back?”

“Is that a problem?” Alison raises an eyebrow.

“No,” Emily walks further into the room. “It seems relaxing, actually.”

“Keeps me occupied,” a tiny smile tugs at her mouth.

She hums in response before muttering, “Before I forget, um…” the key shifts between her fingers, but she soon places it in Alison’s palm once the blonde questionably holds her hand out with an unreadable expression.

“Just in case you ever need it,” Emily manages to smile, albeit it’s shy and cautious because, for whatever reason, she hopes the gesture is sweet even though it’s small.

“Thanks,” Alison’s grin is fuller and understanding, the expression reaching her eyes as she locks sight with the brunette for two, solid seconds, afterwards watching Emily look away while breathing out.

“What’s up for the rest of the night?” she clears her throat.

“Um,” the blonde rubs her lips together, “I was thinking about Skyping with Jason. I haven’t talked to him in a little bit, so.”

The other girl nods slowly, not knowing what to say.

“I didn’t have any luck finding a job today,” Alison confesses out of nowhere, “but I’m planning on going back out sometime soon. I don’t want to be a burden.”

Before Emily can assure the girl that she’s not a “burden” at all, Alison breathes out a shaky “Okay” and picks up her laptop. The brunette has a few words on the tip of her tongue, still wanting to make Alison believe that she enjoys her company, but her lips won’t let the statement pass, so she walks further into the room and abruptly stops in front of the blonde who briefly looks up.

“I’ll be in the kitchen, if you need me,” the girl smiles and walks away, not realizing that Alison is watching her leave because, honestly, she kind of wants Emily to join in on the chat with Jason.

As the brunette gets situated behind the kitchen island while grabbing a quick snack (even though they should probably eat dinner, she muses), she hears a few chiming noises as Alison connects a call to her brother. He picks up almost straight away, earning a beaming smile from the blonde who sits in the living room. Emily grins at the sight, feeling her cheeks warm up until her eyes widen as she forces herself to look away.

“How’ve you been?” Alison asks Jason with the same smile.

“I’ve been good,” Emily hears his voice come through the speaker. “Rosewood is Rosewood, though, so I’m normally bored.”

The blonde laughs at the statement, raising her eyebrows in agreement as Emily does the same in the other room.

“How about you?” he asks. “And how’s… _Holbrook_?”

Alison snorts at his tone because, to put it bluntly, Jason has never liked him enough to use his first name ━ one of many people who use the same, indirect tactic of addressing the man.

“I’m not with him anymore,” Alison confesses, her tone unreadable and Emily watches the girl’s demeanor like a hawk.

“Really?” Jason sounds excited but instantly recovers. “So, where are you living?”

“Um,” Alison looks into the kitchen to see Emily staring at her while sipping a glass of water, “do you remember Emily Fields?”

“Teen-friend Emily Fields? Yeah, of course I do.”

“I’m…” she trails off before starting a new sentence, “She was nice enough to let me stay here.”

“That must be… interesting…” he wears a smirk that Alison can see, but Emily’s eyes narrow in curiosity from where she stands.

“What do you mean?” the blonde’s eyes narrow like the other girl’s, watching Jason make a face behind the camera.

“Well,” he begins with a deep voice, “I remember when you two were younger, and you’d━”

Alison’s eyes widen but she (somewhat) covers up her panic by yelling Emily’s name into the kitchen while wearing a pained smile, “Come and say hello!”

“No, no, I’d very much like to know what he has to say,” the brunette smirks, though she approaches where Alison sits.

“I don’t think you would,” Alison tries to convince her that it’s nothing good but Emily raises a daring eyebrow.

When the brunette continues to stare at her with a smug expression, Alison sighs, “Please…” and Emily reluctantly sits down when she senses the girl’s mounting discomfort. The blonde shifts closer once the girl is sitting, moving herself completely until she’s nearly on top of Emily who clears her throat and smiles at Jason who waves.

“Wow, I haven’t see you in years,” he flashes a friendly smile. “How’ve you been?”

Emily nods with a similar expression, “Can’t complain,” and Alison wants to look at her because, well, really?

“Just working and whatever else. Kind of boring, actually,” she looks past the camera, afterwards smiling again. “What about you?”

“Doing the same. Working, hanging out, avoiding Rosewood’s quirks as much as possible.”

“Still in the same, DiLaurentis house, huh?” Emily grins and Alison wants to smile at how well they’re getting along, though they haven’t spoken in what seems like forever.

“Yup,” he laughs while nodding. “It has a funny way of holding you hostage. Ali found an escape, though.”

“I can see that,” Emily looks at the girl sitting beside her, earning a shy half-grin.

“Thanks for giving her a place to stay. I’m glad she’s living with you now,” Jason confesses with a mumble. “I never liked that guy.”

“Oh, you don’t say?” Alison interrupts with a pointed tone.

“Well, I know that you knew I didn’t like him, but you always got so defensive when I said something,” he rolls his eyes. “It’s okay, though. I’m sure Emily’s taking care of you.”

The brunette looks at Alison in an un-asked wonder, but she watches the girl nod at her brother with a hummed, unwavering “Mhm.”

“Good,” he speaks again. “Is this a… permanent thing?”

Alison’s lips part but she doesn’t answer; really, she has no idea how long she’s staying because Emily technically never asked her to move in, in the first place ━ even if she recently gave her the house’s spare key. So, Jason waits for an answer as the blonde internally panics because she doesn’t want to invite herself to stay forever and Emily hasn’t remotely suggested the idea. Who knows what terms they’re on, anyway.

The brunette glances at Alison, sensing her hesitation as she partially frowns. She remembers the car ride from earlier and how the word “home” rolled off Alison's tongue so naturally, causing her frown to dissipate as a tiny smile takes its former spot. Soon, Emily turns to Jason and answers since he’s still waiting for a response while Alison is having some, internal conversation.

“If she wants to stay, then she’s more than welcome to. I enjoy her company,” Emily semi-looks at Alison who faces her with an underlying, stunned expression. “It’s been nice,” is the explanation she settles on, though she wants to smack herself in the face because it sounded completely idiotic.

To Alison, however, it’s sweet. Sure, it can be taken quite a few, different ways, but she gets that familiar sensation in her chest and, suddenly, starts to panic even more than a minute prior for a totally different reason as her cheeks gain an unnoticeable tint.

Emily feels her throat tightening up as Jason looks between the two, sensing a bunch of nerves even though he’s staring at them through a screen. He wears a soft, knowing smirk, however, and Alison wants to punch him when she sees it but, instead, glares at him with a “you better not say shit” type of lecturing, narrowed eyes.

“I’m sure she’d _love_ to stay,” Jason offers the comment, earning an eye-roll from Alison because it wasn’t as bad as she thought, but he’s still wearing a smug grin and she wants to kick him.

Emily looks at Alison with narrowed eyes and her regained smirk from before, tilting her head to the side so she can see the girl fully. The blonde, on the other hand, forcefully ignores the look and continues to stare at Jason. No one speaks for an entire minute but, once it’s over, Jason breathes out.

“Okay, well, I’m going to make something to eat,” he looks between the girls. “Call whenever, alright?” he directs the suggestion at Alison, earning a quick and thankful head nod.

“Nice talking to you again, Em,” a smile comes next, earning a mirrored one from the brunette.

“You too.”

“Take it easy,” his voice is smug once again, earning an abrupt hang-up from Alison who ends the call.

She closes a few windows on her laptop, followed by shutting the device entirely. Meanwhile, Emily watches her with a soft smirk remaining across her features, just studying the blonde who completely avoids the elephant in the room. Her gaze never lets up, in fact, and Alison forcefully looks away once her laptop is placed on the coffee table in front of them. Emily clears her throat eventually, soon being faced by Alison who pretends to know nothing of what she’s silently asking.

“Hm?” the girl gives a short, questioning hum when Emily constantly stares at her.

“What was he going to say?”

“Who?”

“Jason.”

“When?” the blonde tries to avoid the subject as much as possible.

“When you so-desperately asked me to say hi to him,” Emily’s smirk grows.

“I didn’t _desperately_ do anything,” Alison throws back. “I figured you’d want to be polite and say hello.”

“No,” the brunette squints and shakes her head, “you wanted me to come in here because you were afraid he was going to say something and I want to know what it was.”

Alison gets up, laughing softly. Emily’s cunning smile turns into a frown and she follows the blonde into the kitchen where they stand a center island apart.

“Hello?” the brunette questions in a dull tone, getting Alison to turn around once she’s done rummaging through the fridge.

“Hi there,” she smiles and blinks rapidly.

Emily rolls her eyes, “What was he going to say?”

“Nothing,” Alison shrugs.

“Really, what was he going to say?”

“No-thing,” Alison separates the syllables with wide eyes.

“What was he going to━” she attempts to emphasize each word, being cut off.

“Nothing!” her laugh is incredulous, not ready to give any information up.

“What’s for dinner?!” she uses the same, impatient tone.

“Noth━ oh, you’re clever,” Alison rolls her eyes heavily, earning a chuckle from Emily whose features turn annoying and smug again.

She continues to stare at the blonde, still wanting an answer because the girl seemed so nervous about whatever Jason was about to say. It’s unlike Alison to want to get out of a conversation so quickly and, obviously, Emily is beyond curious. So, as her gaze bores into the girl’s temple, she sees Alison side-eyeing her every now and then. Before Emily can ask another time, however, Alison mutters an abrupt “I’m going to shower” as she scurries out of the kitchen as fast as she can.

The brunette frowns, more so because she didn’t get _any_ information and it’s going to bug her for the rest of the night. So, to occupy herself, she looks through the cabinets while searching for something to make for dinner. It doesn’t take her mind off things, however, and she ends up getting lost in thought while staring at a box of pasta that she’d recently pulled from an upper shelf.

Her mind floats back to when she first arrived home and how her chest felt upon seeing Alison reading so peacefully on the couch. Frankly, it was the most innocent sight and, admittedly, she felt something after spending minutes psyching herself up for the night ahead once Toby’s words began to wrack at her imagination. The brunette has no idea what’s right and what’s wrong anymore; she doesn’t know how she’s supposed to feel or what she _shouldn’t_ . No, she really _doesn’t_ want to feel anything for Alison but, shit, she’s starting to and has no idea if she wants to hate the feeling or not. On the other hand, the blonde could simply tear her up like she once did and, to sum everything up, that’s what terrifies Emily the most.

Suddenly, all thoughts about Alison come to a screeching halt when she remembers what Sabrina had said days prior: _“By the way, Em, your mom called before to let you know that she and your dad are stopping by on Thursday. Something about wanting to see you before their vacation.”_ Now, she’s really panicking, especially because tomorrow is Thursday and she hasn’t seen her parents in quite some time since she’s been practically M.I.A. from a lot of people’s lives.

So, as Emily tosses some dry noodles into a pot of boiling water, she breathes out heavily, hoping to prepare herself for tomorrow because, well, it may be interesting ━ especially when they find out who’s now rooming with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't wait for this super-short visit from Mama and Papa Fields. Additionally, I can't wait for everyone to meet Lucy because she's great and kind of important to the story when it comes to pushing Emily and Alison further together.
> 
> So, Toby knows how to spew some knowledge, doesn't he? Their friendship is one of my favorites in this (and, if it was developed more on the show, then on-screen too). He knows how to get under Emily's skin in both an annoying way and an insightful one, which is nice because she's able to actually open up to him. I know Emily's previous choices weren't the greatest (that's an understatement), but I want everyone to know that she is, indeed, human. Before Alison came back into her life, Emily was super bland and somewhat… there. Now, she has to deal with making mistakes, taking risks, and living. That must be a tough turn-around since she was practically smacked in the face with a marriage certificate days ago.
> 
> Clearly, Emily/Alison's relationship is evolving in a big way. They're learning about one another, more so Emily about Alison in this chapter, even if it's simply attitude and body language. Emily is learning to detect when Alison is uncomfortable with speaking about a certain thing, which is why she didn't push too hard whilst Jason was still on the call. Then, she knew Alison didn't want to invite herself to stay forever, so she mentioned it. Disregarding the way they had acted the first, two days of being home together (courtesy of Sabrina's presence and Emily's dirty-playing), even Emily understands that she's becoming a person again, which is why she tells Jason that it's been nice; overall, she feels lighter.
> 
> I've gotten a couple questions regarding Emily/Alison's relationship back in the day (back in high school, more specifically), before they lost communication. Basically, think of canon events. The girls were best friends, "lead" by Alison, and Emily's fondness turned into something more. They kissed on multiple occasions (which will be brought up), but Alison would always run away and pretend their blossoming relationship was only in Emily's head. However, that call with Jason seemed kind of suspicious. Yes, of course he knows something that we don't. We'll have to wait and see, though it's a somewhat-obvious thing. Or… maybe he knows something deeper than anyone can guess…
> 
> As we move forward, it's going to appear that these two alternate when it comes to who is more admitting of their feelings. At times, Alison will seem open and ready whereas Emily doesn't act like she wants to give into her feelings just yet, but sometimes it'll reverse, which is another thing that contributes to them one-upping each other. This entire story is made up of concepts that can be looked at as games. They toy with one another and try to gain the upper hand as much as possible. They see who can outdo the other when it comes to emotions. Their internal battles are even written to look as though they alter at different times. I did this purposely because, even though they're going to eventually meet at an equilibrium, it'll still be shaky in the sense that they want to outdo each other to make one another into better people.
> 
> Because of the next multiple chapters being focused on their feelings/development(s), the updates will be Emison-centric, for the most part, meaning that side characters will only come and go for the sake of pushing the girls in the direction of "okay, you know how you feel so just fucking admit it already."
> 
> Next update: Tuesday.
> 
> As always, if you have questions/comments/stories to tell, I'll be reading everything you throw at me and/or on Tumblr ("capn-charlie").


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe we're already at Ch 9.
> 
> I'm happy everyone noticed the progress we've made since these two first arrived in Baltimore together (and even before that). Like I said before, it's an uphill climb from here ━ even if we hit a few bumps in the road along the way.
> 
> Ready, set, go.

Brown eyes bore into the center of the kitchen table while hands are pressed flat against the surface. Her lips are parted a fraction and she barely blinks ━ actually, she hasn’t for quite a while now. In fact, it’s been so long that Alison, standing near the sink, has repeatedly glanced in her direction with concerned eyes because the girl’s been zoned out for most of the day thus far.

Currently, it’s 1:34 P.M. and Emily’s parents have yet to arrive on this rainy day. With every passing hour, the brunette seems to get more and more antsy about the impending visit, causing Alison to study her body language without mentioning anything. Emily’s been so out of sorts that, this morning, she nearly overflowed her own coffee mug until Alison carefully grasped her wrist and told her to sit in the living room while she whipped up some kind of breakfast ━ including the best cup of coffee that Emily’s ever had, once she left the room after forgetting the mug in the kitchen. At the time, the brunette looked at her, nodded, and walked away with a partially embarrassed posture because, in her mind, she has no idea why she’s so nervous for this visit. Maybe it’s because she hasn’t seen them in a while or, possibly, it’s because she hasn’t even spoken to them in weeks since she’s been keeping  _ everyone  _ out of the loop. The last time she texted her mother was last night and that was only to ask if they’re still stopping by ━ which, yes, they are ━ but, before that… she can’t remember.

Alison, on the other hand, has spent most of the morning keeping silent while noting the girl’s attitude about everything overall. She seems misplaced, to put it bluntly, and the blonde really wonders what’s going on in her head because, as far as she knows, Emily’s family is still as close as ever ━ if not  _ closer _ . There was a time that she envied the brunette’s family, actually. At one point, her own family was breaking apart with Jason doing whatever-the-fuck while her parents didn’t give a damn about anything, but that eventually changed. Unfortunately, Alison’s mother passed away just years after “restrengthening” the family ━ a sad result of a major, out-of-nowhere heart attack ━ causing Mr. DiLaurentis to become an active alcoholic while Jason actually started to let himself feel human for once, thus resulting in Alison’s stronger bond with her brother. 

The blonde breathes out while grabbing Emily’s plate of food, having told the girl that she’ll make her a late lunch once she heard that the brunette wasn’t planning on eating anything before her parents come. It’s not the most special meal, but she figured that a sandwich is better than nothing. Alison places the “meal” in front of Emily who looks at her and forces a smile, afterwards getting out a clear “Thank you.”

She nods in response, showing her own smile before walking over to the sink in order to wash a few dishes. Honestly, Alison’s been doing more housework with every, passing minute, hoping that she doesn’t seem like she’s taking advantage of Emily. A small laugh passes her lips as she shakes her head, wondering how they got from wanting to kill each other to being able to stand hanging around one another. It didn’t take long, surprisingly, but Alison would be lying if she said she doesn’t like how it’s turned out. Sure, she’s (admittedly) been dealing with a lot of confusing feelings, but it’s not a deal breaker and she’s thankful that Emily is letting her stay here for however long ━ but how long  _ will  _ she stay?

Emily, looking up while eating, watches Alison get lost in thought as she washes the dishes. She wants to protest the small chore, actually, because the other girl really doesn’t have to do that, but her lips stay sealed because she can’t exactly find her voice right now. In the end, the brunette hopes that Alison understands, especially because it’s not like she’s keeping quiet due to enjoying having someone clean the house. Maybe, Emily thinks, it keeps her occupied. On the other hand, what if Emily’s being rude? What if Alison is only doing it because━ 

“What time are they coming over?” Alison leans back against the countertop, gently crossing her arms as she looks at Emily whose eyes snap upwards again.

“Huh?” is her first, half-assed question, followed by a stuttered “Oh, um… around three-ish.” 

The blonde nods in understanding, soon turning around to go through the fridge because she wants something to drink.

Emily explains, “They’re only stopping by for a little bit since they’re on their way down to North Carolina.”

Alison’s searching stops as she stands there, looking into the fridge with a reminiscent body language. She rubs her lips together, remembering the times that her family vacationed in North Carolina once they were “happy” again. It was the one place she truly felt alive and relaxed, she recalls with a gentle smile.

She takes a deep breath, “I hope they enjoy it.”

Emily doesn’t respond. Instead, she finishes the food and pushes her chair away from the table, bringing the dish over to the sink in front of where the blonde now stands. When Alison offers a quick “Thanks” and goes to take the plate, Emily shakes her head and clears her throat.

“I got this one,” she speaks softly, afterwards flashing a smile and a genuine “Thank you.”

Alison mirrors the expression, backing up so she can look at the time once more. As Emily finishes wiping down the hardly-dirty-anyway plate, the blonde sighs and holds her phone in her hand, soon turning to come face to face with the girl who stares at her with a blank expression.

“Really, thank you,” Emily mutters, eyebrows raising as her eyes dart away from Alison who looks at her with unreadable features.

“For doing the dishes?” her eyes suddenly narrow playfully, drawing out a laugh from the brunette who shakes her head while glancing at the counter next to them.

“ _ Sure _ , but that’s not what I meant,” she rubs her lips together. “Thanks for putting up with me.”

The blonde feels like her cheeks are starting to warm up because of the way the girl’s eyes are staring at her with a hidden, adoring undertone somewhere within, so she has to look away and clear her throat, never offering a further response even though all she wants to do is explain to Emily that this house has become so much more than a home to her. In reality, however, she only gives the brunette a comforting smile before changing the subject.

“I better start getting ready,” Alison states with a quiet, childlike tone as a faint smile reaches her gaze.

“You’re… going to be here to see them?” Emily looks stunned by the idea ━ but maybe a hopeful.

“Of course I am,” she shrugs when she detects that same sparkle in her brown eyes, though it’s hardly noticeable. 

Alison decides to toy with the girl in front of her, slowly stepping closer with a slight, underlying smirk that makes the brunette even more nervous ━ though she has no idea what kind of nerves she’s dealing with. 

Alison continues after a short pause, “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I━I don’t know. I didn’t think you’d want to,” Emily has a hard time keeping a steady train of thought while Alison takes another, small step forward until they’re only six inches away.

“Oh, I can’t wait to see your parents,” Alison’s smirk deepens when she can see the brunette beginning to crumble because of the proximity, both girls having a hard time keeping direct eye contact, “I can’t wait to make them  _ love  _ me, just like they used to.”

Inside, the blonde is shaking, not knowing where the hell the boldness came from since, for most of the morning, they haven’t spoken. Some part of her, however, is happy that her tone came out much more confident than intended because, if it hadn’t, she’d likely look just as nervous as Emily does right now. 

The brunette can’t respond. Instead, she keeps staring at Alison while her eyes struggle to stay away from the girl’s lips, but she mentally smacks herself for the shakiness because she refuses to become the prey again. It’s weird, though; this time, the blonde’s tone doesn’t seem devious. It doesn’t really sound like she wants to tear Emily limb from limb. In fact, it sounds playful, almost like she misses how they were going back and forth with each other a few days prior, but in a “now I  _ want _ you to bring out the best in me” type of way. 

So, in the end, Emily tilts her head to the side and narrows her eyes with a cunning grin of her own, causing Alison’s lips to part because she wasn’t expecting the reaction at all. 

Alison swallows hard and takes a few steps back, abruptly giving her a very shaky smile and scurrying out of the kitchen as if her life depends on it. Emily stands there, a solid smirk making its way across her mouth because, for once, she ultimately got the “final word” ━ which Alison vows will  _ not  _ happen again. 

She closes her bedroom door, gingerly leaning against it and breathing out before she tosses her cell phone onto the bed. She tilts her head back and closes her blue eyes harshly, wondering if she’s in way over her head because now she knows that Emily has the capability of fighting back if she needs to. The blonde wants to say it’s no fun, she really does, but a part of her is entertained by the thought of the other girl being so frustrated that she feels the need to gain the upper hand. After everything, it’s amusing, even if it’s not sinister anymore. Something stirs in her stomach at the thought, earning an eye-roll because this hasn’t happened in forever and she’s already sick of feeling…  _ things _ . 

Her phone begins to ring as it lies face-down on the mattress. She debates on answering it at first, feeling nervous and cautious because, well, what if it’s Holbrook? Alison hasn’t heard from him since Vegas, but she wouldn’t put it past him to begin sending tormenting texts and voicemails ━  _ especially  _ if/when he sees that her things are gone. Without delaying the (possible) inevitable any longer, the blonde cautiously walks over to the phone and picks it up, immediately scanning the caller I.D. to see that it’s only her old office, which means that it’s likely━ 

Two voices float through the phone as soon as she picks up.

_ “Jeez, I was starting to think that I was going to die of old age before you answered,”  _ Mona comments and Alison can practically feel her smug grin come through with her words.

_ “Way to let us ring, Ali,”  _ Hanna adds.  _ “I’m offended.” _

“Calm down,” Alison shakes her head with a laugh. “The phone was on my bed and I was across the room. No need to be dramatic.”

_ “You’re lecturing us about being dramatic?”  _ the dark-haired girl snickers, earning a  _ “Yeah!”  _ from Hanna.

“Want me to hang up?” the blonde holds the phone between her ear and shoulder as she walks over to the closet, rummaging through her clothes to see what she should wear.

_ “Again… I’m offended,”  _ comes Hanna’s next response.

“How are your extra shifts going?” Alison asks, drawing out a groan from Hanna and a weird noise from Mona.

_ “Not horrible, but we miss having you here,”  _ Mona speaks genuinely, earning a smile from Alison who pushes clothes back and forth.

“I miss being there, too.”

_ “Are you having fun with Em?”  _ she can hear Hanna smiling, the girl’s tone being granted an eye-roll. 

“I won’t lie… I’m happier here than I was at━”

_ “Don’t say his name,”  _ the other blonde interrupts.  _ “He’s finally out of your life, so just…” _

“Just what?” Alison makes a face when the girl’s voice trails off. 

_ “I don’t know. I was hoping you’d get the hint.” _

Alison raises her eyebrows.

_ “So, you are having fun?”  _ Mona asks next.

Her lips part, not knowing how to answer because it’s not like she’s  _ not  _ having fun. They’ve been laid back, for the most part, and they don’t do much ━ which is nice, for a change. So, sure, maybe it is “fun” but she’s sure as hell not admitting━ 

_ “I’ll take that as a solid yes,”  _ they both giggle.

_ “Do you two have anything planned for the evening?”  _ Mona’s words are teasing.

“Actually, her parents are coming over and I’m trying to figure out what to wear,” she walks away from the closet, throwing some options onto the bed as she breathes out.

_ “Getting reacquainted with the in-laws?”  _ Hanna hums.  _ “I’m glad your marriage is working out fantastically.” _

“Shut up,” the blonde groans. “They’re just stopping by because they’re going on vacation and want to see Em beforehand.”

_ “Do they know about you?”  _

“I… don’t think so,” she pauses in the midst of her response, not knowing if Emily had spoken to her parents before the few texts last night when they were watching TV.

_ “They’re in for a real surprise.” _

“Okay, this is serious,” Alison’s voice is dull. “I don’t even think they’ll ask questions about anything and that’s perfectly fine with me,” she ends with a chuckle.

_ “What if they do? What will you say, then?” _

“I’ll… improvise,” she shrugs. “What do you think they’re going to do? They’re  _ definitely  _ not going to flat-out ask if we accidentally got married in Vegas.”

_ “Probably not, but they may ask why you guys are living together,”  _ Mona gives an underlying warning.

“We’re roommates.”

_ “Mhm, yeah, and my hair is purple,”  _ Hanna throws sarcasm and Alison knows, for a fact, that she’s earning a strong, judgmental look from Mona. 

“What are you trying to call me out on  _ now _ , Hanna?” Alison rolls her eyes, still fumbling through outfits because, frankly, nothing seems interesting yet casual enough.

_ “Your feelings.” _

“What feelings?”

_ “Now is not the time to pretend that you’re a cold-hearted bitch, Ali,”  _ Mona uses a sing-song tone toward the end.  _ “Hanna and I know things. Why do you think we made this bet, in the first place? We knew we wouldn’t lose money either way.” _

“Um, you made it because you’re sadistic and like watching people suffer.”

_ “Excuse me?” _

_ “Will you both hush up?”  _ it’s Hanna’s turn to “make peace.” 

She continues,  _ “Okay, let’s see. Alison, what are you wearing for when Emily’s parents stop by?” _

Silence.

_ “You still don’t know, do you?” _

“Why does that matter?”

_ “Are you going for something that’ll distract Emily the entire time, or something that will, most likely, impress the Mr. and Mrs.?”  _

“I want to look nice for them. I haven’t seen them in forever.”

_ “Are you sure that’s the only reason why you want to look nice for them?”  _ Hanna’s voice is now smug, earning a soft  _ “Ohhh…”  _ from Mona who, apparently, understands the blonde’s tactic.

“What do you mean?” Alison frowns suddenly, eyes narrowing as she looks around the room.

_ “I think… there’s another reason as to why you’d rather impress her parents instead of torturing Emily with a tight, little dress.” _

“What? That’s━”

_ “A completely valid test, actually,”  _ Mona interrupts.  _ “Before we left Vegas, I had never seen you so determined to get your way. I was honestly a little terrified and you know I’m not scared of you worth a damn.” _

Again, the blonde rolls her eyes.

_ “Now?”  _ the dark-haired girl continues.  _ “I think you feel something for Emily. That’s why you don’t want to ruin today’s visit. You want her parents’ approval.” _

“That’s definitely not━”

_ “Alison, do we need to spell it out for you?”  _ Hanna sounds frustrated.  _ “God, you’re so hard-headed sometimes.” _

“Because I won’t admit to liking Emily?”

_ “Because you practically already admitted it and you won’t accept that!” _

“Because I don’t want to admit it!”

_ “So, you admit that you know you feel it, but you don’t want to admit that you admitted to liking Emily?” _

“What?” her eyes are wide as she sits on the edge of the bed, not knowing what Hanna is saying anymore.

_ “You’re happier there, aren’t you?”  _ Mona tries.

“Yes, I already said that.”

_ “Why are you happier there?” _

“It’s peaceful, I guess. No one’s telling me to do things and she gives me space when I want it,” Alison bites her bottom lip.

_ “Do you always want space, though?” _

“Well… no.”

_ “So, you want to be around her?” _

“I’m comfortable with her, yeah.”

_ “As opposed to before when you literally wanted to strangle her with the underwear you wore on your wedding night?” _

Alison chuckles, “Um… I guess so.”

A slight pause comes before Hanna mutters,  _ “Does she take care of you?” _

The blonde’s lips part a fraction while her eyes dart across the floor. She takes a deep inhale and tilts her head back while exhaling, finally letting things sink in because, sure, she knew that ideas were stirring in her mind before but, with her two best friends wracking at her brain, her thoughts just became ten times more complicated.

“Yeah,” she gets out, “she does.”

_ “Do you like it?”  _

“Mhm.”

_ “Would you be upset if she left?”  _

Alison swallows hard, “Mhm.”

_ “Look, Ali, we didn’t mean to get you worked up, but we know how… difficult you can be. No offense.” _

She makes a face.

_ “You can admit things on your own time, but be open with us. That’s all we ask.” _

“For the record, I still didn’t admit anything,” Alison speaks up, “but, honestly, I’ve been really confused lately and I just want to relax,” she lies back, slowly hitting the mattress as she stares at the ceiling.

_ “I’m sure Em could help you relax.” _

“Stop it.”

_ “She could help you relax real good,”  _ Hanna snorts, adding onto Mona’s comment.

“Not funny.”

_ “Someone’s got a crush,”  _ one of the girls on the other line sings out.

“God, you’re so lucky I’m not there━”

_ “Or you’d what? I’d push Emily in front of me and you’d get all… deer-in-the-headlights,”  _ comes Mona’s taunt. 

“I would not,” she sounds amused. “And don’t you have work to do?”

_ “Trying to get rid of us, I see.” _

_ “What time are her parents coming over?”  _ Hanna questions.

“Around three.”

_ “Then I suggest you get ready because that’s in twenty minutes.” _

“I still don’t know what to wear,” she sits up.

_ “Better get looking,”  _ Mona sings again, abruptly ending the phone call with two, quick  _ bye _ ’s.

Alison huffs and tosses her phone nearby. She rummages through her closet again, absentmindedly looking at her different outfits while her thoughts float off elsewhere. She could kill Mona and Hanna, honestly. Why on Earth would they choose now, of all times, to stick ideas in her head? Even throughout the phone call, Alison felt herself getting more and more nervous about meeting Emily’s parents for the first time in years and, additionally, she now finds her thoughts revolving around the brunette because,  _ admittedly _ , her friends are right. She’s spent the last however-many days trying to convince herself that nothing’s there or that she can, eventually, shove these emotions into a box, but that’s not true and she knows it. 

It makes her nervous knowing that Emily is beginning to gain the ultimate “upper hand” when it comes to things between them and she isn’t even sure if the brunette feels the same way. Doubtful, she thinks, especially since nothing went smoothly between them in high school. It’s not like Alison didn’t  _ want  _ things to happen in high school but, then again, she refused to admit that someone of her “caliber” could have feelings for a girl. So, every time something happened between them, Alison ran away ━ sometimes literally. In the end, once the blonde decided that she couldn’t pace within the walls of her room any longer, she cut things off and never pushed it again. That’s when their group began to fall apart even further. It was the blonde’s fault and, if you asked her back then, she knew it but couldn’t do a damn thing because she valued her reputation more than the people who had her back no matter what. She’s even surprised that Mona and Hanna put up with her shit for this long. Sure, Alison’s definitely grown up and doesn’t take anyone for granted anymore, but she’s regretful ━ not that she necessarily brings it up.

That’s another reason as to why she’s nervous about coming face to face with Emily’s parents for the first time in however-long: when their group split, the brunette became distant from everyone ━ even Spencer and Aria, at first. Alison watched her from afar, noting how Emily shook her head when her two, remaining best friends asked her to sit with them, giving some bullshit excuse like  _ “I have to study for fifth period”  _ or  _ “I want to take a walk before class.”  _ Alison wanted to say something, she really did, but kept her mouth shut and forced herself back into conversation with whoever was sitting nearby. The blonde knows that, likely, Emily’s behavior carried on when she got home every day, remembering a time or two when Mrs. Fields was trying to talk to her daughter about something in town, only to get blown off and seem frustrated with the younger girl’s demeanor. At the time, Alison wondered if they blamed her for everything or if they knew what happened, in general. Heck, she stills wonders if they blame her for the group’s split, which is why she’s beginning to feel terrified of this visit.

As Alison looks in the full-length mirror mounted on the back of the closet door, she fixes the nice blouse she put on, quickly brushing her hands along her tight jeans as she exhales heavily. Next, an almost-silent “Okay” falls from her lips as she psyches herself up for the visit, actually living up to her statement of being determined to make Emily’s parents love her like they used to ━ because they  _ did _ . Actually, the blonde was closest with Emily’s parents out of every other girl in their friend group. Why? Maybe it’s because she’d always stop by at random times, or maybe it’s because she was the one whom Emily was most attached to out of everyone else, so Mr. and Mrs. Fields thought that they  _ had  _ to take a liking to Alison. Who knows, but Emily’s father always invited Alison to family dinners, only being taken up on the offer a time or two throughout their entire friendship. Now, Alison wishes that she had accepted the invite more often and, if it ever happens again, she’s driven to make the best of it; she wants to make up for every lost moment with Emily, which is really nerve-wracking considering that she shouldn’t be feeling this way in the first place.

Her eyes close again, shaking her head immediately while backing up from the closet door and moving toward the closed entrance of her room. Before Alison can leave, however, she hears the front door open, immediately followed by two, familiar voices that float down the hall. Alison waits a moment, not wanting to surprise them by showing up right away. She hesitates until she hears Emily mutter a nervous “Um, hold on” and, slowly, the blonde peeks her head out to come face to face with the brunette who seems extremely on-edge. 

Alison looks at her outfit, noting a pair of nice jeans and a cute, vintage-looking band t-shirt until her eyes float further upwards to meet Emily’s. She smiles, hoping that it draws something a bit less shaky from the girl in front of her, but a tiny, obviously forced grin is shot her way in return.

“Is there a reason as to why you’re this nervous?”

“What? I’m not…” Emily tries, only to have her words die when Alison gives her an arched eyebrow.

She sighs, “It’s been a while since I’ve really seen or spoken to them. I don’t know why I’m this shaky.”

“Do they know I’m here?”

“No, I haven’t mentioned it. They’re in the living room right now.”

“I can stay in my room, if you’d feel more comfortable,” Alison leans her head against the doorway while simultaneously searching Emily’s eyes for something.

“It’s not you that’s making me…” Emily shakes her head as she trails off. “You can visit if you want, but I’m not forcing you to. I don’t want you to feel obligated.” 

“I’m the one who offered.”

The brunette nods, not knowing what to respond. She backs up to let Alison pass, earning a tight-lipped smile and raised eyebrows from the blonde who walks ahead. The girl turns the corner and enters the living room before sitting on the couch, quickly being accompanied by Emily.

“There’s a face I haven’t seen in a while,” Mr. Fields smiles big as he sits near Mrs. Fields in two, identical armchairs. “How’ve you been, Alison?”

“I’ve been good, thanks for asking,” she smiles. “What about you two?” 

“We’ve been great,” Pam answers for both of them, smiling equally as much as her husband, though she looks a bit more taken aback by the girl’s abrupt entry.

“It’s been a while…” Alison comments suddenly, still looking at Emily’s parents. “I’m sorry Em didn’t have time to tell you I’d be here. I don’t mean to intrude.”

“You’re not,” again, Mrs. Fields speaks, “although we do wish we’d hear more from Emily.”

Her voice is now pointed, staring straight ahead at the younger brunette who puts a fake smile on. Alison looks at Emily, trying to somewhat be the girl’s rock because she hasn’t spoken a word since they entered the room.

“That’s my fault,” Alison shakes her head with a dopey grin. “I’m always keeping her busy doing whatever. I don’t like to sit still too much.”

“Hey, who answered the phone the other day?” Pam wonders out of nowhere. “Sabrina, I think her name was. Who’s she?”

“Oh, an old friend of Em’s. She was here for a few nights to watch the house while we were out of town for a get-together with the others.” 

“Getting the gang back together?” Wayne comments with a smirk. “I tried that once after my first few years of service. Didn’t work out too well since one of my buddies became some hot-shot and got into a bar fight with someone that night.”

“Is that  _ really  _ a good conversation to have right now?” Mrs. Fields looks at her husband, getting a shrug in response.

Emily laughs and Alison smiles at the sound, happy to know that she’s actually listening to the back and forth banter.

“Sounds like Hanna,” Emily mumbles and Alison giggles because it's true.

“Hanna got into a bar fight?” her mother’s eyes are wide.

“Well, no,” the younger brunette sighs. “Someone was…” she trails off, “being extremely out of line and Hanna didn't take too kindly to it.”

“Violence is never the answer,” Mrs. Fields throws back.

“I know, but you remember how Hanna is.”

Alison smirks and turns to Emily, “Do now, think later.”

The brunette feels her cheeks warm up a bit and she smiles, simply looking at the girl who sits next to her.

“Now  _ there’s  _ a smile,” Wayne interrupts, this time directing the partial accusation at Emily who doesn't really react aside from a shy, somewhat-hidden grin. “Haven’t seen that in a long time.”

“ _ Too _ long,” Pam adds with a pointed tone, though she’s smiling.

Alison agrees while looking at Emily, “You should do it more often.”

The brunette blushes again, this time only side-eying Alison who turns away when she realizes how flirtatious she sounded.

“So,” Mr. Fields drawls once he hears the blonde’s tone, feeling curious as to what their relationship is, “you’re living together?” 

He gestures between the girls and Alison internally panics because she didn’t plan for this at all since she told Hanna and Mona it  _ wouldn’t  _ happen. She starts to silently scold herself, however, because it’s a simple question, so why is she panicking so damn━ 

“Mhm,” Emily nods without hesitation, her lips curved into a newer grin.

“Just… living together?” Pam inquires, a skeptical tone laced in her voice because she can tell that there’s something funny about the atmosphere within the room.

“Hm?” the younger brunette hums in question, having no idea what she’s really asking.

Her mother narrows her eyes, “Are you… dating…?”

Now, Alison is full-blown panicking and it feels like centuries pass as she gets sucked into her thoughts. The idea makes her nervous, if she really thinks about it. Beside her, Emily doesn’t seem to react to the question and, when the blonde’s blue eyes see the girl not exactly jumping to answer the question as if they’re frozen in time, Alison blurts out a response without thinking any further.

“Yeah,” comes the quick response as the brunette opens her mouth only moments after the question passes her mother’s lips, “we are.”

Alison forces a smile but feels herself shaking, completely ignoring Emily who turns to the side so she can look at the blonde who sits beside her. She doesn’t want to deny it in front of her parents or come off as stunned, however, because it would make for an extremely embarrassing conversation, so she tries her hardest to drum up a smile while feeling like she’s getting a huge headache.

“Why didn’t you tell us, Emily?” neither of them seem angry but maybe a bit caught off-guard.

“It just sort of happened, I’m sorry,” is the only excuse she can come up with because, yeah, something  _ did  _ just “sort of” happen.

“We don’t need an apology,” Mr. Fields is next to speak. “I think we’re actually pretty relieved that you’re with someone whom we already know.”

“Mm, I think you’ll like this version of me a bit more,” Alison lets out a soft laugh. “I was a brat back then. I’m sorry for that,” she mutters.

Emily looks at her but avoids locking eyes with Alison because she’s actually somewhat annoyed that the girl is wholeheartedly trying to make her parents happy no matter what. It’s not that she doesn’t want her parents to love Alison again, but they haven’t exactly spoken about what happened in Vegas and, technically, what’s going on now. So, as of three minutes ago, they’re now in an accidental marriage and a fake relationship. How did that happen?

“Everyone grows up at their own rate,” Pam assures. “As long as you girls are happy now, it doesn’t matter how you got here.”

The brunette smiles, the expression being more genuine this time because she won’t deny the fact that she  _ is  _ happier than she was ━ albeit confused.

“Well, we better get going,” suddenly, Mr. Fields pushes himself off the chair, immediately walking over to Emily and wrapping her in a hug. “North Carolina isn’t the closest and we’ll be driving for a while.”

“You know how I hate long car rides,” Pam comments as she hugs Emily, afterwards moving on to hug Alison once Wayne backs up. “ _ Especially _ in the rain.”

“Call us soon, Emmy,” he looks at his daughter. “We try our best to give you space but sometimes you take advantage of that.”

“I’m sorry,” the brunette fully speaks for the first time in a while. “I don’t mean to. Alison’s been keeping me busy, like she said.” 

Her eyes dart to the blonde standing nearby, body language clearly nervous because she knows that Emily’s unhappy with what she blurted out. The older couple moves over to the door, casually being followed by the pair of girls who give them another goodbye until they step out of the house. Emily watches them walk down the driveway and slide into the car, followed by their quick drive down the street until they’re out of sight. Her eyes scan the sky and note its grey tint while raindrops pound the cement in front of where she stands. Alison, meanwhile, lingers somewhere behind, trying to brace herself for the inevitable conversation as Emily attempts to avoid it for as long as possible.

The brunette has no idea what she wants to say. Heck, she doesn’t even know what she’s currently  _ thinking _ . All she knows is that she’s beyond frustrated and, if she could, she’d avoid the conversation forever because, right now, she’s not in the right mindset to confront Alison who remains standing somewhere behind her.

Finally, she closes the door, still facing the barrier as she locks it. When she turns around, Alison is standing there with crossed arms, forcefully looking away aside from her occasional, hesitant glances at Emily who folds her arms in blatant irritation.

“I didn’t mean━” the blonde tries, only to be cut off within seconds.

“Why would you tell them that we’re dating?” her eyes are wide. “You didn’t tell your brother that!” she stresses, mentally smacking herself because, well, that entire “keep your irritation under control” mindset clearly fell out the window.

“He never asked!” Alison keeps her tone at the same level, albeit less upset-sounding. “I don’t know, okay? I just…” her voice trails off and she purses her lips.

Emily breathes out and turns away, attempting to calm down.

“Look,” the girl continues as she holds her hands up in a form of peace, “it’ll be easier for them to digest an abrupt marriage if they think we’re dating now.”

The brunette’s eyes widen again and she looks beside herself, now staring at Alison with an incredulous expression written across her face.

“What makes you think I plan on telling them?”

Alison scoffs, “You can’t just keep me a secret.” 

“I think you’re forgetting that we’re not really married, Alison,” Emily throws back.

“Actually, we  _ are _ ,” the blonde frowns.

“But we don’t want to be!” suddenly, the brunette’s voice bites heavily and Alison visibly shrinks back a bit because, wow, she didn’t expect the harshness and, honestly, she feels hurt.

Maybe Mona and Hanna really  _ were  _ right. She feels… rejected because of the girl’s words and, as she takes a step backwards, she can see Emily looking taken aback by her own outburst. The brunette’s mouth opens to say something with a creased forehead, mostly wanting to confess that she didn’t mean it, but Alison gets her words out first.

“No, you’re right,” the blonde shakes her head with an almost-inaudible voice, “we don’t. I’m sorry.”

Emily notes that the girl sounds super choked up, mentally kicking herself because, God, she didn’t mean it at all. Again, she spoke without thinking, but now it’s way worse than anything she'd blurted out previously and she feels a sharp stab of guilt hit her in the chest. 

Like moments ago, Emily attempts to apologize and explain herself but, before she can, Alison gestures to her room, takes a few steps back, and whispers, “I’m going to get comfortable. I’ll be out in a little bit.”

The blonde turns around to quickly make her way into her room, forcefully ignoring Emily who tries to follow with a sad “Ali, wait.” 

When the door latches and locks behind Alison, Emily stops following and sighs while looking at the ceiling with a watery focus. She rubs her eyes and grunts, hating how mixed-up she’s been acting all day. Alison doesn’t deserve to have anything taken out on her and the brunette knows that. She doesn’t even know why it bothers her so much that Alison claimed they’re dating.

She sighs once more and drags herself up the stairs, set on changing into a pair of sweatpants and a baggier t-shirt so she can get comfortable on the couch. She wonders if Alison will join her eventually, or if she’ll entirely drop the idea of facing each other for the rest of the night. Admittedly, Emily wants the other girl to come out of her room because she wants to apologize as soon as possible. If she doesn’t, however, the brunette decides that she’ll have to settle on waiting until the morning which won’t work out well because mornings aren’t her best for speaking purposes ━ but, then again, she’s been awful at talking for entire days now.

Emily tugs on a soft pair of pants, followed by a cheap t-shirt. She looks in a nearby mirror and exhales, not liking what she sees because she’s been out of it all day. If you asked her, she’d flat-out admit that she hates how she barely spoke when her parents were here. She misses them, definitely, but it’s hard to force herself to discuss what’s been going on in her life because, roughly, there isn’t much to discuss at all. At that, another deep breath falls from her lips and she turns away from the mirror. 

Her feet take her out of the bedroom and down the stairs, only reaching the halfway point before a sturdy knock sounds at the door. Emily frowns, more so because it’s nearing five o’clock on a rainy, Thursday evening and no one usually visits at this time, anyway. 

She approaches the door cautiously, slowly opening the barrier to reveal a man who she hoped to never see again ━ though she only saw him a time or two prior, both from afar. 

“You have something of mine and I’d like it back,” Holbrook’s tone is stern as he tilts his head.

Emily notes that his body language doesn’t make it seem like he’s been drinking but he sure as hell smells like he stumbled here from some bar. She looks past him to see his car parked  _ very  _ close to hers, almost bumping the back of it, and her eyes scan his features like previously.

“Did you not hear me?” he speaks again.

Before the brunette can answer, she hears a door creak from behind her and turns to see Alison’s head peeking out from her room. As the blonde slides out of the doorway, Emily can see her body stiffen in panic, looking as though she’s about to be sick because, now, her face displays a pale highlight. Emily’s lips part in concern, desperately wanting the blonde to turn around and walk back into her room as she feels an overwhelming sensation and  _ need  _ to protect Alison. Without a word, Emily turns to face the angry “guest” with an unmoved demeanor. 

“I’d like you to leave,” she speaks firmly.

“I drove two hours to get here and I’m not leaving until I take back what’s mine,” the man flashes a demeaning smile. 

“Alison isn’t a possession,” her voice raises a level and Holbrook scoffs.

“I’m not talking about Alison,” a laugh passes his lips. “Nothing is more worthless, trust me. What I’m talking about is that necklace you took from my place. I know it was you who broke into my house,” he looks past Emily to talk to the blonde who crosses her arms in defense.

“You’re lucky I’m not pressing charges,” his eyes bounce back and forth between the pair of girls but Emily isn’t bothered.

“That necklace was my mother’s and you know it,” Alison frowns heavily, somewhat approaching the two but standing behind Emily as much as she can, still keeping a good distance away from Holbrook.

“It was on  _ my  _ property and I told you that you could have it back when you learned your place,” his voice is degrading and Emily feels her jaw tighten, eyes burning a hole into the man in front of her. “Besides, after everything I’ve done for you, you should be grateful enough to give me that pretty little necklace,” he smiles, making the blonde look away with flaring nostrils because she feels like she’s going to throw up.

Emily can almost sense Alison wanting to crawl into a hole so, upon the man’s words, she attempts to shut the door with a curt “Okay, now I’m  _ telling  _ you to leave.” 

He pushes the door open, holding a good portion of his bodyweight on the barrier so it can’t move.

“Look, I don’t want trouble,” Holbrook speaks to Emily as if he’s tired before his eyes dart to Alison who lingers behind the brunette, nearly in tears, “but I  _ do  _ want what I came here for and I’ll be damned if I let your little rebound here stop me from getting it,” his voice is directed at the blonde.

“Excuse me?” Emily frowns, clearly not in the mood for any of this.

“I mean, really,” he continues with a laugh, looking Emily up and down, “you left me for a girl? A girl you pushed around in high school? How low can you get?”

Alison, finally feeling fed up and angry at the mention of Emily, practically hisses, “Bite me,” as she steps out from behind the girl for a brief moment.

“What did you just say━” he tries to push Emily, only to get shoved backwards.

“I’m not in the mood and I suggest you leave,” the brunette warns, but he gives her another, annoying chuckle and pushes her harder while Alison takes multiple steps back with watery eyes.

On contact, Emily feels herself snapping and punches him square in the bottom portion of his nose and part of his upper mouth, hearing a subtle crack as he stumbles backwards and down the lone step. Holbrook winces as he shakes his head and stares at her, earning an angry frown as Emily stands in the doorway, completely ignoring the pain shooting up her wrist and forearm as a few of her knuckles bleed.

“I’m calling the police next time you come here, so I suggest you don’t,” she breathes heavily when her adrenaline starts to crash, afterwards adding an exhausted yet serious-sounding “Leave us alone.”

She sees his eyes watering from pain before he coughs hard, grunts, and walks away in an unbalanced stomp, staggeringly moving over to Emily’s car and kicking the side of it before sliding into his vehicle’s driver’s seat. The brunette watches him reverse out of the driveway while rained-down blood drips down his mouth and part of his chin, still feeling her adrenaline gradually crashing from the entire altercation as he drives away. She stands in the doorway for another minute longer before remembering the way Alison was completely recoiled when she saw him, quickly forcing herself to refocus and back up. 

She closes the door with slower movements, locking it immediately and turning to see Alison standing there while looking at the floor with a blurry vision. Emily already felt guilty because of what happened beforehand, but now she wishes she could offer a hug or something to the girl who lingers with a damaged body language. Instead, she settles on a soft voice and hopefully some support.

“Ali, are you okay?”

The blonde’s eyes look up to meet Emily’s, but they soon float downwards until they reach the girl’s bleeding hand. She approaches cautiously, gently gripping the brunette’s wrist with a regretful grimace and, a moment later, she brings her into the kitchen in hopes that she can stop the gradual bleeding within the next minute or so. 

Emily allows herself to walk with Alison, feeling a timid grasp on her hand while they make their way into the kitchen. She’s led to the sink and her hand is abruptly put under water. At the sensation, she winces and her fist stiffly tenses up, not liking how much it stings.

“I’m sorry,” Alison mutters. “It needs to be cleaned.”

Emily nods, not trusting her voice at the moment.

Next, the blonde moves over to the cabinet and finds a box of small, plastic bags. She fills it with ice after another moment, carefully wrapping the makeshift ice pack in a thin, smooth dish towel before applying it to Emily’s knuckles, hoping to help in any way, shape, or form.

“You didn’t have to do that, you know,” Alison whispers, paying attention to what she’s doing without looking into those brown eyes.

“I know. I wasn’t exactly thinking,” Emily watches Alison take care of her hand.

After another few seconds, Alison looks up, albeit briefly, “Thank you, though.”

Without earning a response, she glances back downwards and continues.

“How did he know where you are?” the brunette keeps her voice low.

“He tracks my phone,” Alison answers as she sounds choked up. “I should’ve known to get rid of it when I first got here. I will tomorrow,” she purses her lips. “Though I don’t know how much good that’ll do now,” the last part is completely muttered.

Emily nods slowly, “Tell me if he keeps bothering you.”

No response, but she sees Alison grip the ice pack a bit tighter.

She continues, “You don’t deserve that, Alison.”

Finally, the blonde looks up with unshed tears in her eyes but, before Emily can come up with some form of comfort or sentiment, Alison forces a smile and gives her a broken “There, all fixed.” Not even a second later, she puts the bag of ice down on the counter and all but runs to her room while Emily stands there, staring at the floor because today’s been stressful, to say the least.

She doesn’t even bother calling after Alison; Emily figures that the girl needs time to breathe so, ultimately, she chooses to give her space for the rest of the night. While she continues to linger in the kitchen, she carefully raises her hand and looks at the fresh wound covering a couple of her knuckles, timidly flexing her fingers and breathing out while thinking about Alison who deserves so much more than what’s happened in the past. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is kind of another turning point. Emily, already feeling regretful for what she bitched about, now understands that they need to support/protect each other, courtesy of Holbrook's appearance. ━ Side note: Who needs comic book heroes when you have Super Emily slugging fuckboys in the face? Amiright, Alison? ━ Anyway, Emily's also understanding her feelings even further, so her mind is a "big bowl of linguini" right now. Happy to say that she'll discuss her thinking regarding both situations (Holbrook's visit and her feelings) with *trumpet noises* Sparia + CeCe.
> 
> Now, Emily's problem with what Alison told her parents isn't simply "No, I don't want to be with you like that." Actually, Emily knows she wants to be with Alison, but she's still trying so hard to keep herself from submitting to her feelings because of the pessimistic voice in her head that keeps saying Alison would take this information and run. For example, Emily thinks that, if she had told Alison that she's fine with telling her parents about their marriage, she'd be confessing that she feels something. Another reason is that she fears rejection when it comes to Alison. Ironic since she practically rejected Alison with that response, huh? ━ Another side note: Way to improvise, Ali.
> 
> As for Alison, it seems as though she stepped off the "ledge of feelings" this chapter ━ no matter what happened, in the end. Regarding Emily's bite-back after her parents left, how do you think Alison is going to act in Ch 10? I'm curious. Will she forgive/forget, turn cold, or… will she take a risk and act on her feelings, anyway? Especially factoring in that she realizes Emily saved her at the end of this chapter. Either way, they're all valid choices, especially the last one because, deep down, we all know Emily didn't mean what she said ━ and maybe even Alison knows that.
> 
> Two small, under-the-surface things: Alison is a very regretful person. When she's in the guest room getting ready for Emily's parents to arrive… well, it's one of the first times that she's allowed herself to actually remember this ordeal head-on. For the most part, Emily being back in her life is going to bring some stormy thoughts, mostly because she hasn't forgiven herself. ━ Another thing is that, even though Emily (at the end of the chapter) tells Alison that she doesn't deserve what Holbrook has put her through, Alison believes she deserves every "karmic" thing because of what she, herself, put people through in the past. Poor kiddo.
> 
> Next update: Sunday.
> 
> If I haven't told you before, the last half of this story (starting with next chapter) is packed with my favorite "scenes" and moments. I think I, personally, love chapters ten through twenty more than what we've already witnessed, primarily because I worked super hard to steer these two together permanently. I'm excited for you to read.
> 
> In the meantime, review, comment, message, whatever. I'll be here.
> 
> P.S. For those of you who have been watching/plan on watching 13 Reasons Why on Netflix, make sure you put yourself first if you have any emotional triggers (and do your research beforehand, if you're unsure). There are plenty of specific, episodic trigger warnings (without flat-out spoilers) floating around Tumblr and Twitter, so educate yourself beforehand. The show was meant to be educational and the book was primarily written to shine a light on teen suicide and bullying. Neither were meant to be triggering to the point of hyperventilation, etc. I, personally, have had to pace myself throughout this series so far, but I still enjoy it. Just... take care of yourself.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!
> 
> Happy to hear everyone enjoyed last chapter even though it was ━ how do I put this gently? ━ a mess. Nevertheless, we actually got somewhere underneath the surface and that's superb.
> 
> I'm updating early for two reasons: 1) I've had a shit week and need a pick-me-up, and 2) Because of having this shit week, I've realized that I need to take care of myself and change my lifestyle around which includes NOT staying up until 3:00 A.M. just to post, A.K.A. I'm going back to posting earlier in the day, likely.
> 
> Back to the story because I'm sure you and I both are sick of my personal issues: Similar to last chapter, we're going to progress in this one. This time, however, we'll avoid the drama. In fact, you may even see some much-needed fluff.
> 
> Continue.

Emily breathes out as she lounges across the living room couch, barely watching the TV that plays nearby because nothing good seems to be airing nowadays. She’s been nodding off every now and then since Alison left this morning ━ though it’s now approaching four-thirty━ having had a shitty “sleep” the night prior.

Actually, it’s not that she  _ slept  _ horribly, but her mind wouldn’t turn off worth a damn so, after two hours of fighting with her thoughts, she allowed them to roam as much as possible until they finally died down. Of course, most of them involved the blonde sleeping downstairs at the time ━ technically, Emily had no idea if she was sleeping since she never exited her room after everything went down ━ but, occasionally, her mind began to focus on the throbbing in her hand as she grimaced whenever she forgot and tugged hard on her covers.

Overall, she wanted to go downstairs to check on Alison, though she knew she should leave her alone. The brunette felt (and still  _ feels _ ) crappy about what she said when she snapped, but she hasn’t had the time to apologize and, if she did, would she really follow through on it? Every time she’s around Alison, her throat chokes up and/or words fall from her lips before she knows they exist, causing her to look like a dumb fool in each instance. So, ultimately, maybe she’d keep her mouth shut if she was ever given the chance to make it up to the girl.

Either way, Toby’s words have been drilling into Emily’s mind more and more by the passing hour. It’s gotten to the point where the brunette’s pulled a couch pillow over her head to silence the internal voices telling her to simply… _ give in _ . She’s debated on it, admittedly, and she’s actually very willing to allow herself to fall for the blonde again, especially because of how rejected the girl looked once those idiotic words flew from her mouth: _ “But we don’t want to be!” _ Obviously, Alison must feel something too if she was  _ that _ put-off by the statement, right?

God, what was Emily thinking when she snapped at the girl? Sure, the marriage isn’t ideal, but it’s not like their “relationship” is the worst thing that could’ve happened. At first, things between the two were much worse solely because they were trying to get under one another’s skin, but now it’s calm and airy. Alison takes care of Emily and vice versa. They both enjoy it, in fact, and the brunette’s been thinking about how determined Alison seemed to take care of her injury last night ━  _ after  _ Emily had slugged the man who disgusts her more than most people.

She sighs and pushes herself off the couch, carefully rubbing at her eyes before walking into the kitchen to grab something to drink. A yawn passes her lips as she focuses on pouring some iced tea, afterwards sliding the pitcher back into the fridge. Once the door closes, however, her eyes catch sight of a new paper on the metal surface and a soft smile makes its way across her mouth.

On the fridge door is a list ━ written by Alison ━ of her “emergency contacts” just in case Emily ever needs one. First, Jason’s cell phone number and house phone are written, followed by Mona’s cell phone. Underneath those, Emily sees  _ “Mr. and Mrs. Fields” _ listed with a  _ very  _ obvious blank space next to the names, signaling the brunette to fill in the missing number. Emily chuckles at the sight and finds a pen to fill in the blanks, still smiling at the entire thing because, honestly, she finds it adorable and pretty smart. Afterwards, she pauses and taps the pen against her lips, eventually going further with the list and adding CeCe and Toby’s numbers, as well as her work phone number.

Once she’s finished, her feet take her a few inches backwards so she can fully look at the paper, still grinning at the overall concept as she gets lost in thought.

_ “Good morning,” Emily smiles as the other girl walks into the kitchen, already dressed for the day even though it’s only ten-ish. _

_ “Morning,” Alison mimics the expression, though it falls flat within seconds before it’s replaced with a nervous demeanor. _

_ Brown eyes glance in her direction, Emily not knowing what else to say because she doesn’t want to accidentally hit any wounds if Alison is still feeling upset from last night. _

_ “Um, can I borrow the car again?” the blonde barely looks Emily in the eyes. “I need to get a new phone number and maybe a new phone.” _

_ “Of course,” she nods without hesitation, not bothering to tease the girl this time.  _

_ “I also want to look for work… again,” Alison continues to explain with a partial hesitation. “I really want to pay you back for letting me stay here,” she sighs, hoping to contribute some form of income which, she thinks, will start with tapping into her previously stored funds. _

_ “Ali, you don’t━” _

_ “I know I don’t,” she interrupts with a gentle tone, “but I want to help pay for stuff, too. Food, bills, whatever.” _

_ After a short pause, her voice lowers a fraction, “I don’t like feeling as if I’m taking advantage of you because I promise I’m not.” _

_ “I know you’re not,” Emily’s eyes are soft, “but, whatever you want to do… okay. I’ll be here when you get home.” _

_ Alison smiles at the sentiment, allowing herself to sulk in the feeling of butterflies hitting against the surface of her chest. When her cheeks heat up, however, she clears her throat and wanders over to Emily, first side-eyeing the girl while she pours herself a cup of coffee. The brunette, on the other hand, feels stunned because Alison is so close and she smells super nice and━ _

_ “How’s your hand?” comes Alison’s next question, even quieter now that they’re standing only a foot away from each other. _

_ “Really sore,” Emily makes a face. “I could barely sleep because of it.” _

_ Internally, she rolls her eyes at herself because no, that’s not the entire reason, but it’s not like she can explain what else was on her mind. _

_ “I couldn’t sleep much, either,” Alison confesses, her mind floating to the same thought. _

_ “Because of… him?”  _

_ “No,” the blonde gets out, practically inaudible as she finally looks at Emily, eventually turning away when the eye contact becomes too much. _

Emily wonders what’s been on the girl’s mind. Even before that, she questioned what’s going through Alison’s head, but, after this morning, she’s even more curious. There was something in the blonde’s eyes at the time, like a sparkle or a swirl of some type of feeling that she hadn’t seen days ago. Realization? Maybe. Attraction? Perhaps.

Before her thoughts can get any further, a knock at the door sounds and she frowns because she wasn’t expecting any visitors today and, God, it better not be Holbrook again. Nevertheless, her feet take her to the front door and she opens the barrier. 

Aria, Spencer, and CeCe come into view immediately, casually crossing over the threshold with cheery greetings as Emily only stares at the three girls. She closes the door behind them and follows her guests into the living room, watching them plop themselves down into their respective, “designated” seats.

“Is something… up?” the brunette narrows her eyes at the three girls.

“No,” CeCe shrugs. “Nothing’s up, per se, but we wanted to visit you.”

Aria adds, “Actually, we all have the night off so we figured we’d ask if you’d like to hang out.”

Emily sighs, throwing herself onto the couch between CeCe and Aria while Spencer sits across from them in an armchair.

“I’m not trying to be my usual,  _ boring  _ self, but I don’t want to go out tonight,” she looks completely out of it. “I just want to relax and… I don’t know. I want━”

“ _ Jeez _ , what happened to your hand?” Aria’s eyes bug as she steals the girl’s wrist, holding her fingertips gently and looking at the bruised color with faint, red blotches across.

“It’s nothing,” Emily takes her hand back before CeCe snatches it in the other direction.

“That’s  _ definitely  _ not nothing,” the blonde eyes the color just as much.

“Really, it’s…” her voice trails off and she breathes out. “It’s nothing. Someone pissed me off. That’s all.”

“Wait, so you punched someone? Wow, that’s new,” CeCe comments again.

“What’d this someone say or do that ticked you off so much?” Spencer speaks up.

Emily glances at her hands with pursed lips.

“And where’s Alison?” the smaller brunette looks around.

“Hold on. Was it… because of Alison?” now, Spencer’s eyes widen and Emily goes to open her mouth but nothing comes out, not knowing which part of her demeanor tipped the brainy brunette off in order to put two and two together.

“Now I’m even more curious,” CeCe turns her body so she can fully look at the nervous girl between her and Aria. 

The brunette’s eyes attempt to evade every, staring gaze that’s projected onto her body language but, in the end, she can’t avoid the subject any longer and takes a deep breath before her lips part when she doesn’t know how to start explaining. They wait, only watching Emily who chews her lower lip and stares at the coffee table in the middle of the room as she debates on whatever-it-is inside her head.

“Holbrook… came here,” she gets out.

At once, the three others speak.

“You’re kidding,” Spencer leans forward.

“How the hell did he find you guys?” Aria’s eyes are wide.

“Who?” CeCe looks dumbfounded.

Emily chuckles at their completely different reactions and expressions, afterwards answering each.

“No, I’m not kidding. Alison said he likely traced her phone and that’s why she’s getting a new number today,” now, she turns to the blonde sitting beside her. “Holbrook is Alison’s ex-boyfriend. He’s not a good guy━”

“Understatement,” Spencer’s voice is flat.

“━and he pretty much trained her like a dog while they lived together. Honestly, he’s a complete asshole and you should see the inside of his house because━”

“Wait a second. When were you at his house?” Aria interrupts with furrowed eyebrows.

Emily internally slaps herself.

“We, um…” the brunette pauses before starting a new sentence, “We had to get some of Alison’s things since she didn’t pack much for Vegas and,  _ obviously _ , she didn’t know she wouldn’t be going back there, before she left.”

“And he let you in?” Spencer frowns. 

The girl locks eyes with the brunette who asked the question, soon looking away and licking her chapped lips because━

“No, Em,” the same girl gets out, “you didn’t━”

“We didn’t exactly have a choice, okay?”

“Of course you had a choice!”

“I am  _ so  _ lost right now,” CeCe raises her hand, shaking her head.

“Look, Spencer, I didn’t want to do it either, but suddenly Alison was getting out of the car and I couldn’t let her go in  _ alone _ ,” Emily tries to defend her actions.

“Aw, that’s so sweet,” a tiny grin tugs at Aria’s lips.

“Yeah, truly the best measure of affection,” Spencer throws sarcasm at the shorter brunette who shrugs, earning an eye-roll from Emily when she remembers Toby’s words from a few days prior.

“Yeah, okay, that’s fine. No one tell me what’s going on,” the blonde leans back against the couch.

Emily turns her body to CeCe, “Alison didn’t have a key to Holbrook’s house so we kinda… sort of… climbed through a back window.”

The girl snorts at the image.

“I’m glad  _ you  _ find this so amusing,” again, Spencer’s voice sounds incredulous. 

“Well, Em’s here and safe, isn’t she? Why does it matter?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” more sarcasm is flung CeCe’s way, “maybe because it’s  _ trespassing _ .” 

“She wasn’t caught,” the same girl shrugs.

“But Holbrook knows,” Emily mutters.

“Is  _ that  _ why you punched him?” CeCe raises an eyebrow. “Because, I’ve gotta say, Em… that was a pretty dumb move, if so.”

“No, that’s not why,” she rolls her eyes.

When Emily doesn’t explain any further, the three girls stare at her constantly, eyes widening in expectancy as they wait for the true reason. Finally, the brunette sees their curious looks and groans as she leans her head back, afterwards getting out an annoyed “Fine” while shifting forward in her seat.

“He just… pissed me off, okay? Like a lot. I’ve never felt myself snap so bad before,” she shakes her head.

“What’d he do?”

Emily swallows hard and looks down, rubbing her pointer finger across the color on her knuckles.

“I felt like he kept objectifying Alison,” comes the confession. “The way he spoke and how he looked at her… and the way she practically hid behind me… I felt my blood starting to boil and it didn’t help that I was already annoyed before he showed up.”

“So, were you angrier because he was objectifying Ali, or were you more so feeling protective because you saw how scared she looked?” Aria tilts her head.

“I can’t decide,” Emily inhales deeply, exhaling after. “I’ve never, in my  _ life _ , seen Alison DiLaurentis that…  _ lost _ .”

Spencer and Aria share a look, feeling more and more curious about Emily’s budding relationship with a girl they once thought they knew ━ and one they hope to spend more time with, if you asked them.

“In that moment, I didn’t care that she…” her voice fades out, not wanting to get into the other subject but knowing that━

“That she…  _ what _ ?” CeCe watches Emily clench her fists in a manner that says she’s upset with herself, but doesn’t comment on the action. 

She sighs, “When my parents came over yesterday, they loved Alison, just like they used to…”

As her tone becomes softer, a smile crosses her lips before she clears her throat so the butterflies leave her body as fast as possible.

“She actually saved me from explaining quite a few things during our visit. Like why I haven’t been talking to them much and every other question they asked. She pulled out all these answers,” Emily explains with a tight-lipped smile, soon nodding her head in a slow manner with pursed lips, “and  _ then  _ my parents asked if we’re dating.”

“What’d she say?” Aria has a tiny smirk on her face as she narrows her eyes and, on the other side of the room, Spencer pays attention with a subtle, amused look of her own.

“Oh, she told them we  _ are _ ,” Emily offers a big, annoyed grin. “So,  _ now _ , I’m in a faulty marriage  _ and  _ a fake relationship with her.”

She pushes herself off the couch and begins to pace while biting her thumbnail. Spencer, Aria, and CeCe all stare at her, simply watching the girl walk back and forth while seeming lost in thought; truly, the brunette looks over-annoyed, almost like something underlying is bothering her, and the three want to pick her brain to find out what it is.

“Do you know  _ why  _ she told them that?” Spencer wonders aloud.

“I don’t freakin’…” she almost begins to rant but, instead, stops herself and grunts, “okay, yeah, she told me that it’d be easier for them to  _ digest  _ an abrupt marriage if they think we’re dating now.”

“But do you think that’s really the reason?” Aria frowns.

Emily stops in her tracks while looking out one of the living room windows, taking a deep breath before turning around and staring at the floor in the middle of everyone, only covered up by the lone coffee table.

“I’ll be honest with you━”

“Thank God for that,” Spencer mumbles, earning a pointed look.

She continues, “I’m not sure that’s why she said it.” 

“What do you mean?”

“It’s weird,” Emily shakes her head and walks over to her former spot on the couch, plopping down between CeCe and Aria, “when they asked that question, I looked at Alison and she…  _ froze _ . It wasn’t long before she blurted out the answer, but her face just…” again, the girl shakes her head. “Almost like she panicked.”

“And do you know why she panicked?”

“Can we stop with the twenty questions about this?” Emily leans forward and puts her head in her hands. “I’m tired of thinking.”

“Just one more, please,” Aria nudges Emily and speaks with a gentle voice.

“Fine.”

“Have you two… talked about anything?”

“Like what?”

“Your marriage, I guess. The bet. Anything you  _ feel… _ ” Aria looks at Emily with a face that says “you better not try to bullshit me.”

“Not really,” Emily bites her bottom lip. “I’ve been doing this stupid thing where I speak without thinking first so I’ve been commenting on us being married,” she rolls her eyes at herself.

CeCe chuckles, afterwards bouncing her eyebrows at Spencer and Aria who share two, growing smirks.

“Okay, new topic. What are you and Ali going to do when she gets home?” Aria questions with a fresh, tiny smile tugging at her lips.

“Same thing I was doing before you got here, I guess. Sit around, watch TV…” she trails off when she realizes how boring it sounds.

“But what if she wants to go out?” 

Emily hesitates before lowering her voice a little, “Then she can.”

“And you won’t go with her?” Spencer adds with an arched eyebrow.

More hesitation follows, being accompanied by Emily’s lips parting as she looks away from everyone.

“I don’t know,” she finally whispers. “Honestly, I want to keep an eye on her.”

“Because of last night?”

“I don’t want her getting into trouble,” Emily takes a deep breath.

“Trouble, or… you don’t want her to go home with someone else?” CeCe tilts her head.

“I don’t think she would,” the brunette shakes her head, looking at the girl who asked the question. “She’s different. More different than I thought.”

“A good different?” Spencer intervenes with a knowing smile, being thrown a pointed look.

“I am  _ not  _ doing this again,” Emily gets out through a small laugh.

“But you like this different?” it’s Aria’s turn to speak, her voice remaining soft.

“I━I feel something, yeah,” the girl stutters. “I don’t know what it is yet, but━”

“Oh, I think  _ we  _ already have a pretty solid idea,” CeCe smirks as her eyes bounce between Aria and Spencer, ultimately landing on Emily who prepares for━ 

“You  _ like  _ her,” the same blonde finishes with a cunning smile.

Emily goes to open her mouth, only to get cut off by CeCe.

“You’re falling for Alison,” she teases. “Aw, I’ve never seen your cheeks so red.”

“I didn’t say that,” Emily manages to keep her tone even, albeit she’s smiling heavily and her chest feels like it’s shaking. “Like I said before… I feel something, but I have no idea━”

“I still can’t believe Hanna and Mona were right,” Spencer makes a face.

“No, no,” Aria points at Spencer, “I can believe it. I saw it, though, so I guess it’s easier for me to believe.”

“Is no one listening to me?” Emily all but squeaks, her voice cracking.

“We’ve been listening to you this entire time,” CeCe looks at her, another smirk forming, “and that’s how we know you like her.”

Aria and Spencer both hum out an agreeing “Mhm” as Emily’s eyes dart between the three girls.

“I think you should tell her,” Aria gives insight, bumping the brunette’s shoulder.

“What? No,” her eyes widen. “I wouldn’t━wait, I never admitted to━”

“Fine, I’ll tell her,” CeCe shrugs and leans back.

“You will do no such thing,” Emily warns and the girl wants to laugh at the wide-eyed expression.

The same blonde offers another, emphatic shrug.

“CeCe, I swear to God━”

“Sorry, I can’t hear you,” she pulls out her phone, automatically checking her emails as she pays no attention to the brunette who frowns heavily.

“You’re literally sitting right━”

“Can’t. Hear. You.”

Emily breathes out and tries again, “Please, just give me━”

“Hey, before I forget,” CeCe looks up from her phone and speaks to everyone in the room, earning an intensified frown from Emily who was cut off yet again, “do you guys want to do me a  _ huge  _ favor?”

“Depends,” a bitter smile covers Emily’s features.

The girl rolls her eyes, “The company I’m now with is having a… you know, I have no idea what it is. It’s just a big, welcoming ball-party-thing for the new journalists including yours truly,” she puts her hand over her chest, flashing a cheesy smile. “Can you all come for moral support?  _ Please _ . They want to meet the people who know me best and, well,  _ you  _ know me best.”

“When is it?” Spencer questions first.

“Next Friday. I’ll have to figure out times and let you know the more-detailed details. All I know is that there’s going to be a formal-ish dinner thingy and it’s attached to a large, fancy dance hall.”

Aria snorts, “Do we have to wear masquerade masks too?”

“Ha-ha, funny,” CeCe lets out a dull laugh. “No, but dates are welcome,” her eyes glance in Emily’s direction, being given an eye-roll and groan.

“Alright, I’ll tell Toby he’s busy next Friday,” Spencer nods.

“Oh, he’ll  _ love  _ that,” Emily mumbles.

“I know he will. Especially when he sees what I plan on wearing,” the girl offers a coy smirk.

Before anyone else can answer, the front door creaks open and all four girls hear a pair of keys being hung up. Soon, Alison enters the room and stops abruptly when she’s being stared at. She flashes them all smiles and, in the meantime, Emily looks at CeCe who tilts her head as she blinks rapidly in faux-innocence.

“I didn’t know we were having company tonight,” Alison looks at Emily whose lips part before she forces herself to nod.

“Yeah, I didn’t either,” she chuckles. “They randomly showed up.”

“Way to sound welcoming, Em,” Aria snickers.

Alison finally locks eyes with the other blonde who wears a friendly smile, “And you must be… CeCe.”

“The one and only,” her smile grows.

“Tell me about it,” Emily mumbles, being pinched and jumping at the sharp feeling.

“So, before Emily can escape next week’s get-together,” CeCe starts, soon turning back to the blonde who remains standing nearby, “Alison, can you come to something for my job? For support, really. Actually, your other friends are invited, as well. It’s just a━”

“━ball-party-thing,” Aria finishes for the girl.

“Um, okay…” Alison seems taken aback but nods.

“Great!” the other blonde beams enthusiastically. “There’s one catch, though.”

Emily’s eyes widen as she looks at CeCe, the girl showing her a “what’s the problem?” kind of smile.

“What is it?” again, Alison treads carefully.

“You have to be Emily’s date,” she smiles, being faced with a caught off-guard Alison who tries to hide a smile by clearing her throat.

Spencer and Aria stare at Alison as well, attempting to keep their growing, smug grins at bay while Emily wants to be swallowed by the couch she’s sitting on.

“She didn’t want to ask me, herself?” Alison smirks in order to cover up her own, impending nerves, putting the brunette on the spot while Spencer and Aria laugh when Emily puts her head in her hands like before.

“No, she’s a little too━” CeCe goes to respond with a teasing remark but Emily interrupts.

“It doesn’t matter who asked. She’s my date. End of discussion.”

“Snippy, snippy,” the blonde sitting next to Emily tuts. “Why so on-edge?” 

“Tired,” the girl gets out through gritted teeth.

“I  _ really  _ don’t think that’s━”

“Alrighty,” Aria interrupts, “I think it’s time for us to head out.”

“You don’t have to leave so soon,” Alison looks at their guests, hoping they aren’t leaving solely because she got home.

“I know, but we still need to get ready for tonight’s  _ festivities _ ,” Aria wears a childlike smile as the other two girls stand up. 

“Um, do you want to come?” Spencer invites with a tiny, devious smirk as she faces Alison.

She seems to think about it for a few seconds, opening her mouth to speak even though nothing comes out. She looks at Emily who flashes a tight-lipped smile, afterwards turning back to the three who pretend that they weren’t paying attention to the two’s not-so-subtle check-outs.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” the blonde finally breathes out. “I just want to relax. Exhausting day.”

“Totally fine,” Aria nods.

CeCe hums with a smug tone, getting an eye-roll from Emily who still sits on the couch. Alison’s eyes dart away from the other blonde’s, a tiny shade of blush covering her cheekbones. Aria and Spencer share a look, afterwards ending with the smaller brunette clearing her throat and saying, “Come on, Ce.”

Before leaving, however, the same blonde glances between Emily and Alison while grinning at the situation, softly taunting, “Have a nice night, you two.”

As their guests leave, Emily tries to avoid Alison’s eyes as much as possible, forcefully folding her arms across her stomach and leaning forward so she can stare at the floor. The blonde, on the other hand, still wears a light smile on her face as she walks further into the room, soon standing directly in front of the other girl, only three feet away. Emily sees where Alison comes to a standstill and takes a deep breath, allowing her eyes to float upwards and meet curious blue. She forces a smile next, hoping that it isn’t too shaky, and the blonde narrows her eyes in amusement because, yeah, Emily’s words from yesterday stung deeply, but a part of her realizes that the brunette didn’t mean them whatsoever ━ especially judging from the way the girl is looking at her with a subtle, nervous, “I’m sick of hiding these feelings” type of grin. We all say things we regret, Alison understands, and she’s willing to take a few risks, so she decides to tease the girl in front of her while taking a spur-of-the-moment chance.

“Tired, huh?” she asks, earning a sheepish grin from Emily who emphatically rubs at her eyes.

“Mhm,  _ exhausted _ .”

“Hm,” comes the short hum before Alison cryptically mutters, “me too.”

The brunette looks at her again, head tilted to the side.

“What?” the other girl raises an eyebrow, though she knows exactly why Emily is staring at her.

“Uh, nothing,” she shrugs.

Alison stands there in silence, only looking around the room and noting that the wall-clock says it’s now 6:40 P.M., drawing a frown because, really, when did it get so late? As she turns back to Emily, she catches brown eyes studying her with a tint of… admiration? She smiles when the brunette’s eyes widen as she’s caught, quickly looking away.

“Did you, um, eat dinner yet?” Emily tries to come up with a new conversation.

“Oh, no,” Alison shakes her head, “I’ve been too busy. I ate lunch hours ago, but…”

The brunette makes a face and leans back against the cushions, “I feel like pizza.”

“You don’t look like pizza,” Alison smirks.

“ _ Ha _ , cute.”

“You think I’m cute?” her smirk intensifies.

Emily stares at her and narrows her eyes, “ _ Anyway _ . I’m going to order us something because I don’t feel like making anything.”

“I could make us something.”

“No, Ali,” she shakes her head, “you said you’re exhausted and I’m not going to force you to make dinner.”

“You’re not  _ forcing  _ me to do anything.” Alison’s voice is quiet and maybe a tad vulnerable.

Emily feels like she struck a nerve again, causing her to mentally smack herself because she’s never going to get better at this whole speaking thing.

“Just let me order us something, please,” the brunette uses the same tone of voice. “If it makes you feel any better, you can cook dinner tomorrow.”

Alison laughs and nods, “Deal.”

So, without wasting any more time, Emily gets up and brushes past the other girl, ending up in the kitchen so she can rummage through the menu drawer and order their dinner. Alison follows suit, watching the brunette look over the newly found menu with concentrated eyes. The blonde wants to laugh at the sight, truly, because the girl seems so involved with the choices, but she keeps her lips sealed and walks over to the fridge.

“What kind of pizza do you want?” the brunette absentmindedly asks.

“It’s pizza, Em. I’ll eat whatever,” she chuckles before adding, “unless you order anchovies, then I  _ am  _ divorcing you.”

Both girls seem stunned by the way the words fell from Alison’s lips so casually, but she doesn’t bother backtracking ━ especially because Emily gets out a nervous “I’ll be in the other room” before Alison can even  _ look  _ at her.

The blonde tries to keep her nerves at bay, she really does, but she can’t and, soon, forces herself to take a deep breath. Her eyes close for a three seconds, afterwards opening and focusing on the fridge. She smiles softly and tilts her head, noting how Emily filled in the blanks to her “emergency contacts” list, also seeing that the brunette added a few numbers. Her smile grows, feeling some sort of even-stronger sensation stir in her stomach when she thinks about how comfortable they’ve both gotten. It’s refreshing, Alison thinks, but maybe a bit nerve-wracking.

 

X X X

 

“So,” Emily wipes her hands with a napkin, “you got a new phone?”

“Yup,” Alison nods as she leans back against the kitchen chair. “New number, new phone. I’ll add it to your contacts later.”

They both smile but, within seconds, Emily partially licks her bottom lip before speaking in a quiet yet even tone.

“Can he still…” she trails off, not really wanting to mention Holbrook but feeling the need to voice her concerns.

“Don’t worry,” the blonde understands what she’s trying to ask, “I doubt he'll want to come back here. Surprisingly, I think he knows better than that,” she mumbles the last part. “He’s not used to people fighting back.”

“I’m not worried about me,” Emily looks at Alison. “I don’t…” she takes a deep breath, “I don’t necessarily want to bring it up, Ali, but I hate how he spoke to you last night.”

The other girl nods but doesn’t offer any words. Instead, she clears her throat and pushes her chair away from the table. Emily, on the other hand, remains sitting and bites her inner cheek because, once again, she seems to have said something wrong. Really, she wishes that the blonde would just be open with her. Maybe, if she starts, they can move forward with whatever-it-is ━ if there  _ is  _ a “whatever” between them. 

Alison lingers in front of the sink and takes multiple, deep breaths, hearing a soft “Sorry” come from somewhere behind her.

“No, it’s…” the words die in her throat. “It’s hard for me to talk about.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I won’t mention it again.”

The blonde wants to protest and say that, in time, she’ll fill Emily in on everything she feels regarding what’s happened in the past but, suddenly, the brunette is changing the subject.

“Did you find a job?”

“Actually, I did,” Alison’s attitude is now much lighter. “I almost forgot. It’s only part-time, but, um… you know The Boston Cafe? That little coffee shop around the corner,” she somewhat points in the direction and Emily nods immediately. “Yeah, they had a flyer hung up when I went inside for coffee and, well… I fit their hours and they liked me enough, so they hired me on the spot.”

“Perfect,” Emily raises her eyebrows, “I’m impressed.”

“Thank you,” Alison’s tone takes on a flirtatious tint, causing Emily’s smile to falter a bit when she feels nervous.

“What are your hours?”

The blonde pulls out her phone and seems to search through something, afterwards reciting, “Scattered hours on Tuesdays through Thursdays. Only some Fridays. So… I’m free on weekends and Mondays unless they ever  _ really  _ need me.”

Again, Emily nods with pursed lips.

“Do those go well with your work hours?” Alison asks with a tiny smile.

“Uh,” the brunette thinks, “yeah, I guess. I don’t go into work much during the summer, anyway, but…”

Alison hums, “Well, at least I don’t need to borrow the car for work. It’s only like… ten minutes when walking from here to the coffee shop.”

“Oh, so you  _ don't _ want to buy your own car?” a skeptical grin tugs at Emily's lips, her voice teasing.

She laughs, “Maybe in the future. I've been having too much fun hijacking yours,” again, her tone is flirtatious and Emily playfully rolls her eyes with a chuckle.

“Hm,” the brunette hums and squints out of nowhere, breathing out, “so I get my own, personal coffee-fetcher…” she comments with an ending smirk, pushing her chair away from the kitchen table so she can put her plate in the sink.

“You wish.”

“I admit that,  _ yeah _ , I do,” the brunette begins to put the leftover pizza in a plastic container. “I could use some right now, actually.”

“Do you want me to make some?” Alison laughs as she leans against the counter.

“No,” Emily shakes her head with a mirrored laugh. “If I drink some now, I’ll  _ never  _ fall asleep. It’s like… almost nine o’clock.”

“I probably won’t sleep, anyway,” the blonde crosses her arms.

“Why not?” she slides the container into the fridge.

“Haven’t been able to.”

“Any particular reason?”

“Yes.”

Emily waits for an explanation and, on the inside, Alison wants to tell her the truth but the words won’t exit her throat. Instead, she rubs her lips together and settles on a general statement.

“Too much on my mind.”

The brunette nods and picks up the empty pizza box, soon opening the sliding back doors before stepping onto the small deck situated against the back of the house. She walks along the wood as Alison follows suit, casually looking around the yard because she’s barely seen it up close since she’s gotten here. Her blue eyes watch Emily walk down the side steps and disappear, abruptly hearing the sound of a trashcan lid being opened and slammed shut. The brunette reappears within seconds, offering a tight-lipped smile as she passes Alison and walks back into the house.

Alison shudders at how chilly it’s gotten since she arrived back and she rubs her arms while following Emily. The brunette locks the back doors once Alison is inside with her, noting the blonde’s cold body language but not mentioning it. She wants to, especially because she hasn’t seen the girl wear one piece of warm clothing since she’s arrived, but her lips stay sealed as she shuts the kitchen lights off and makes her way into the living room where Alison now sits on the couch with the TV playing in front of her, though she doesn’t pay much attention because she’s already typing away on Emily’s phone after finding it on the coffee table.

“You know,” Alison smirks without looking up, “you  _ really  _ should have a passcode on this.”

“Tell me about it,” Emily remarks with a mumble, hearing a soft laugh come from the blonde who adds her new number to the girl’s contact list, ultimately changing the name within her info, as well.

Emily attempts to look at what she’s writing, noting how Alison’s thumb swipes through the emoji section on her iPhone’s keyboard, eventually picking out the small picture of a diamond ring to put next to “ _ Ali _ .” The brunette smiles at the feeling in her chest, allowing herself to enjoy it thoroughly until blue eyes look up to see the smitten expression written across her face. Emily recovers, however, and clears her throat before forcing a smirk onto her face as she says, “I’m actually pretty surprised that you only wrote ‘Ali.’”

“What were you expecting me to write?”

She shrugs.

A tiny laugh passes Alison’s lips as she bows her head and gives Emily her phone with a smile attempting to cross her mouth again, “I was planning on writing ‘My Extraordinary Wife,’ but…”

Emily turns her body and narrows her eyes in amusement, watching Alison’s demeanor turn shaky as a blue gaze only side-eyes her, not wanting to face the girl fully until she finds something to break the mounting tension ━ and she does.

“I forgot to ask,” Alison shakes her head suddenly, finally looking at the brunette who still stares at her, “how was  _ your  _ day?” 

“Very boring, actually,” she chuckles and allows Alison to escape the conversation. “Except for when the house was invaded,” she purses her lips and the blonde laughs.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here to entertain you,” Alison smirks, earning a chuckle from Emily.

“Me too.”

“You’re stuck with me tomorrow, if it makes you feel better.”

The brunette smiles, “It does. Thank you.”

They study one another for a few more seconds, eventually looking away when they both feel like their throats are tightening due to nerves. 

Alison crosses her arms to (hopefully) warm herself up, though it doesn’t help much because her hands are freezing. To distract herself, she glances at Emily’s bruised hand and takes it gently, carefully running her fingertips across the color when she feels a tinge of guilt hit her in the chest even though the girl’s skin is so soft and surprisingly comforting.

The brunette’s eyes look down, flickering between her hand and Alison’s body language. The feeling of fingertips against her skin gives her goosebumps and she takes in a sharp breath which Alison mistakes for pain.

“I’m sorry,” the blonde whispers.

“No, don’t be,” Emily tries to comfort her in a small voice. “It didn’t hurt. It just…”

“Tickled?” a tiny grin tugs at her lips.

“Something like that,” Emily mutters, barely being heard.

Alison takes her hand again and traces her knuckles gently, leaving Emily to revel in the feeling as she tries her hardest to focus on the movie that plays in front of them even though she has no idea what it is. Meanwhile, the blonde makes it her mission to distract the girl as she occasionally glances at Emily who seals her lips. She draws small patterns in the most innocent way, primarily because she can tell that it’s soothing yet torturing the girl that sits beside her. When she hears Emily take in another, sharp breath, her lips curve into a newer smirk.

Without looking up, she asks, “Are you sure it doesn’t tickle?”

Emily lets out a soft laugh, “It’s fine.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“But that’s my answer.”

Alison rolls her eyes and continues her ministrations, just dragging her fingertips around Emily’s knuckles before she slowly yet randomly turns the girl’s hand over and traces her palm. This time, the brunette bites her lower lip because it really does tickle and, in the process of trying not to giggle at the sensation, her hand twitches.

“ _ Mhm _ ,” Alison offers a flat hum, sounding smug.

“Okay, but that feels totally different than before,” Emily defends.

“Does it still feel good?” 

The brunette’s lips part at the question, not knowing how to respond at first because the girl’s voice sounded so tiny and caring. Alison, on the other hand, waits for an answer because, for whatever reason, it means a lot to her. So, in the meantime, she pauses what she’s doing and feels like she can’t breathe.

Finally, Emily gives her a small, whispered “Yes” and, within seconds, Alison begins again, attempting to hide a smile but failing instantly.

It doesn’t take long before the blonde shivers, however, and that’s when Emily actually voices her concern from prior.

“You didn’t take any warmer clothes from his house when we went, did you?”

The girl waits a moment before chuckling, “How did you know?”

Emily shoots her a pointed stare, though the blonde can’t see because she’s still tracing patterns on the girl’s palm without looking up.

Alison sighs after a few seconds, “The weather was unbearably warm the first three days I was here. I wasn’t thinking at the time.”

Emily slowly nods, looks down at her torso, and carefully takes her hand away from Alison who looks up. Next, she unzips the dark-grey hoodie she’s been wearing for most of the day, hastily tugging it off her shoulders before offering it to the girl who stares back at her with a frown. When the blonde doesn’t take it right away, Emily shoots her a pair of expectant eyes and waves the piece of clothing back and forth.

“Em, you don’t have to do that,” Alison says even though a shy smile crosses her mouth.

“Please,” she tilts her head to the side. 

When Alison continues to hesitate, Emily puts on her best pouting face and the blonde chuckles, eventually nodding and taking the hoodie so she can pull it onto her body. The brunette watches with a smile, feeling content with Alison’s choice and the fact that the piece of clothing looks so nice on━ 

“Thank you,” comes Alison’s soft gratitude, getting more nervous by the passing, silent second.

“You’re welcome,” Emily smiles again. “You can keep it.”

“Emily,” the girl gently scolds. “Really, you━”

“I know I don’t have to,” she interrupts with the same smile, “but I want you to have it, okay? Just something to keep you warm. Otherwise, I’ll have to turn the heat on during the summer and that won’t end well.”

“Okay, okay,” Alison laughs. “It smells nice, anyway.”

“I’m glad you’ve been working on your compliments,” Emily teases, earning a firm poke in the side.

“Thank you, though,” the blonde says after a mounting period of silence. “I mean it. I didn’t expect to feel so comfortable here, so thank you for making me feel… welcomed.”

Emily’s smile turns nervous again so, frankly, she’s thankful that the other girl isn’t looking at her for the time being.

“You’re always welcome here,” the brunette nods. “The house is too big to be alone in.”

“Well, good… because I’m not leaving,” Alison snickers at her own bluntness.

“I’m perfectly okay with that,” with every flirtatious statement that falls from her lips, the brunette feels like she’s suffocating because, well, when the hell did she become so straight-forward? 

Suddenly, Emily feels her hand being taken like previously, this time by sleeve-covered fingers. The blonde manages to poke her fingertips out of the fabric so she can toy with Emily’s palm again, smiling as she draws pictures against the girl’s skin. Meanwhile, the brunette pays attention in hopes that she’ll figure out what Alison is drawing and/or writing since it doesn’t feel sporadic. Much to her disappointment, the girl traces her hand exaggeratedly, purposely making sure that Emily can’t make out what’s being sketched with her shaking fingertips.

In the end, the brunette allows herself to relax as she watches Alison focus on what she’s doing. She admires the sight, if you asked her, and her throat tightens up when she realizes how hard she’s beginning to fall for the blonde who shifts closer. Her mind flashes back to what she said to Toby a few days prior, internally rolling her eyes because, well, fuck:  _ “Okay, fine. My old feelings are resurfacing a little bit, but that’s it. I’ll get over it.”  _ Shit, she thinks, these are  _ definitely  _ not the same as those old feelings and, suddenly, panic is setting in but, to cover it up, she leaves her hand relaxed and breathes out.

What Emily doesn’t know, however, is that the wheels are turning in Alison’s head, as well, and the blonde bites her lower lip while writing invisible love letters on the girl’s palm. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Nudge nudge* So, what'd I tell ya? Did we progress, or what?
> 
> Clearly, Alison pushed her hurt aside and took a chance ━ one that, in a way, paid off. Even before she arrived home and saw Emily giving her those eyes (*insert trademark emoji*), she had put a cute, little note on the fridge in hopes that Emily would get the hint. Is it a romantic gesture? Debatable, depending on the context, but it means she wasn't trying to hold a grudge and that's great. It's character development, of sorts, because we all know Alison could potentially give her the cold shoulder or even simply leave the house. Also, don't think Emily forgot about the apology she owes Alison. It'll come.
> 
> Next, we have Emily. Like Mona and Hanna, Emily's best friends decided to drill some thoughts into her head (previously helped along by Toby), which pushed her feelings outward ━ finally, I groan. No matter how long it took, it seems like Emily is open to something with Alison (and vice versa). Fantastic. ━ Side note: Who's excited for CeCe's ball-party-thing? I certainly am, but we'll have to wait a bit. We still have to meet Lucy first.
> 
> So apparently, as we saw with Alison bringing it up in her anchovy statement and the "My Extraordinary Wife" suggestion (which, hello, why didn't you put that, Ali?), the idea of them being married has become some, flirtatious joke. That's interesting. I vaguely remember these two using it in petty comebacks, but now they're using it to make the other nervous ━ though, usually, they say it without thinking. Maybe this marriage isn't so bad, after all. Perhaps they're even warming up to the commitment.
> 
> Now you can see why this chapter marked the start of my favorite "blob" of updates. From here on out, it's all about who makes what move first, followed by the other trying to keep up. Next chapter is probably my absolute favorite (or a close second to a future one, I don't know), just a heads-up. It's 10.1K of pure goodness.
> 
> Next update: Thursday.
> 
> I'll be waiting to hear what ya'll thought of today's chapter, hint hint.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Side-eyeing self*
> 
> Me: I'm not gonna post late anymore!  
> Also me: Midnight EST isn't late, so here's a new chapter.
> 
> I want to start off by saying: Wow, just wow. Your responses to last chapter made my entire week ━ or life, whatever. I want to thank you, from the bottom of my fic-writing heart, for coming back update after update, and for encouraging me when it comes to writing because, admittedly, I've been hitting a few walls lately. Nevertheless, thank you.
> 
> Okay, before we dive into this beautifully raw chapter, I'll warn you ahead of time that 1) my author's note is going to be extremely-fucking-long (it's 900 words), and 2) it may be super-fucking-unorganized because there's just so much content in this update that it's ridiculous. As always, you have the freedom to skip to where I say "Next update:" if you don't feel like listening to me ramble about everything and anything having to do with what follows this beginning author's note.
> 
> Now, shut off your music, your TV, your family's chitter-chatter; after the mid-chapter break, this one is meant to be read in a quiet, dimly-lit or dark room.

She turns a corner with the sidewalk, moving along the light-grey cement while people pass. It’s nearing five o’clock in the evening so, naturally, not many people are out and about since it’s just about “dinnertime” on a Tuesday. Her brown eyes scan the various, small businesses that line the sidewalk including laundromats, compact convenience stores, a lone art shop, and Alison’s new workplace: a rustic-chic-looking coffee shop with free internet and multiple seating areas ━ A.K.A. The Boston Cafe.

Emily’s lips part upon seeing the little cafe and its frosted-glass logo because, well, she walked here _purposely_ so she could, in a way, support Alison, but currently she’s feeling nervous ━ what a surprise, she muses. Her overall appearance and scent don’t help her anxiousness either; she recently arrived home from her own shift at the nearby community college so, naturally, her skin reeks of chlorine even though she only took ten steps into the pool area. Additionally, her hair is put up messily whereas her outfit consists of an old t-shirt and sweatpants. Roughly, Emily has no idea why she didn’t clean up before heading over to the coffee shop, but she figures that it may have something to do with the fact that Alison is only working until six-ish tonight. She rolls her eyes at herself.

Over the course of the past, four days, Emily and Alison have been at a slight standstill when it comes to how they act around one another. Alison, physically, moves closer every now and then whenever they’re lounging on the couch but, overall, keeps her hands to herself aside from when she wants to play with the brunette’s fingers. After the third instance of Alison playing with Emily’s palm and fingers, the tanned girl came up with the reasoning that, maybe, it’s a nervous trait or just something that’s intimate without heading into “romantic” territory ━ and she’d be correct; Alison’s been walking a fine line of what’s “too straightforward” against how she can act lovable without crossing a boundary. Additionally, Emily’s noticed the girl wearing her sweatshirt almost every day and, each time she sees the item on Alison’s torso, a smile crosses her mouth.

The blonde doesn’t feel embarrassed at the reaction anymore ━ not to say that she was strictly _embarrassed_ in the first place, but more so shy about the entire concept of wearing Emily’s clothes. Now, she feels flattered by the smile she’s given by Emily and, in response, she blushes with her own grin, snuggling further into the dark-grey fabric. In fact, this chain of events has happened quite a few times, but Emily remembers one, specific morning, taking place a day ago when Alison looked so cute wearing her hoodie.

_“Back to work?” Alison tries her best to offer a tight-lipped smile to Emily who sips the cup of coffee that the blonde had whipped up prior to her walking into the kitchen._

_Emily leans against the kitchen counter and licks her lips after tasting the warm, perfectly colored beverage, noticing that the blonde’s smile fails to reach her eyes._

_In all honesty, Alison doesn’t want the girl to leave, especially because that means she’ll be home alone until the brunette comes back since her shifts don’t start until tomorrow._

_“Unfortunately,” after another second or two, Emily sighs heavily, “and it’s a Monday. Like I don’t hate Mondays enough already.”_

_The blonde chuckles at the statement, raising her eyebrows in agreement from where she sits at the kitchen table._

_“What’s your plan for the day?” Emily takes another sip of coffee before glancing up again._

_Alison bites her lower lip before smiling shyly, “Honestly? Probably relaxing until you come home.”_

_“You won’t be able to relax once I get home?”_

_“You know what I mean,” the girl rolls her eyes with a dopey grin._

_“Sounds nice. Wish I could do that,” she finishes her drink and puts the mug in the sink, briefly turning the water on to rinse the item._

_“Why don’t you just stay home, then? We could watch movies,” Alison tries to put on her best, convincing smile and, internally, Emily feels herself melting, but, on the outside, she laughs and tilts her head to the side._

_“Now I really wish I could stay home,” she confesses with an evident emphasis, “but I can’t. I won’t be gone long, though. Probably just a few hours today.”_

_Alison exaggeratedly breathes out, “Fine.”_

_“Rain-check?”_

_The blonde’s former smile reappears and grows second by second, ending with the girl nodding with a soft “I look forward to it.”_

Emily pushes the coffee shop’s door open and hears a bell chime overhead. Immediately, the fresh-brewed scent of coffee and fancy espresso fills her nostrils, accompanied by the sweet aroma of recently baked pastries, muffins, and everything else between. Honestly, the scent _alone_ is to die for, but her eyes check out the entire place since they’ve overhauled the aesthetic only months ago. Since then, the brunette hasn’t had time (or the attention-span) to visit the small shop, so she’s currently dotting her eyes around the wood-adorned room with far more seating areas than she remembers ━ though not many people are in the shop.

Alison stands behind the counter ━ out of Emily’s line of sight ━ just watching the brunette take everything in. Her heart feels like it’s in her throat as she keeps her lips sealed, not wanting to break the girl’s concentration and, honestly, she simply feels way too nervous right now since it’s only her first day and, yeah, it’s going well, but now Emily’s here and, fuck, she’s going to mess up, isn’t she?

“Having a nice day?” Alison decides to nip her nervousness in the ass as she breaks the mounting silence, startling the brunette who now approaches the counter.

“Mm, kind of, I guess,” Emily gets out. “What about you? Good first day at work?”

The blonde tilts her head back and forth in slight thought, “It’s going fine. I haven’t gotten fired yet, so.”

“Have you learned how to make any fancy drinks?” the girl smirks. “Don’t forget that I’ll be waiting for the day you bring me home something special.”

Alison laughs, “Actually, I’ve never been that bad at making coffee, in the first place. Sure, the machines are more expensive,” she turns her body a fraction and gestures to the massive coffee-makers pushed against the counter, “but they’re not as complicated as they look. My manager trained me a lot this morning and I’ve been being _quizzed_ all day.”

Emily nods and laughs when Alison rolls her eyes with a soft giggle.

“Did you want something, or did you only come to see how I’m doing?”

“I have no idea what to get,” she makes a face when reading the signs drilled against the wall somewhere behind Alison.

The blonde’s eyes watch the girl in front of her, just studying her expression as she attempts to read the menu. Alison absentmindedly smiles but tries to seal her lips as soon as she feels her cheeks getting warm, forcefully looking down at the counter.

“You know what?” Emily starts. “Surprise me.”

“What? Are you seriously going to━”

“Yes,” the brunette challenges. “The coffee you make at home is perfect, so why not?”

“That’s a simple coffee-maker, Em. I literally press the button and it brews,” Alison deadpans.

“But you _somehow_ know how much cream and sugar I like,” Emily raises an eyebrow and the blonde can’t hide her smile this time. “Think of this as another quiz.”

“Okay, fine,” she walks away from the counter, quickly thinking as she turns to the machines, “but I’m not responsible if you end up hating whatever I make you.”

“I’m sure I’ll love it.”

Alison takes another look at Emily before nodding and resuming what she was doing before. She walks around behind the counter, preparing the drink she’s decided to make for the brunette who now looks around the room again. In the end, the blonde chooses to go with something a bit sweeter and colder since it’s pretty warm out at the moment, so she goes about the process perfectly while being determined to _not_ mess up. As she paces back and forth whilst humming, Emily turns back and watches her seem in-place, almost like she’s been working at this cafe for years. She smiles and, soon, she’s caught by Alison who glances in her direction. The blonde doesn’t tease her like she normally would, however, and offers her own, timid grin before turning back to a machine that beeps.

A few more minutes pass as Alison quickly writes a note in Sharpie along the side of the plastic cup, afterwards finishing the assembly of Emily’s drink once it’s poured and prepared. The brunette looks to the door when she hears the bell chime and, within seconds, two people are lined up behind her. When she turns back to the counter, her newly made drink is placed in front of her by Alison who smiles.

“What do I owe you?”

“Don’t worry, I got it,” Alison whispers but Emily rolls her eyes while pulling out five dollars.

When she slides it across the counter with a look that tells the other girl not to bother arguing, Alison sighs and takes it for the sake of not holding up the line, earning a smirk from Emily who walks away with a soft “Thank you.”

Instead of leaving, the brunette decides to sit somewhere in the shop, pretty close to the counter just in case she can, at some point, make small talk with Alison who now tends to the two recent, walk-in customers. She slides into a two-person booth and pulls out her phone.

When the device begins to connect to the shop’s internet, Emily takes the time to sip her drink, smiling instantly because she has no idea how/when Alison acquired a firm grasp of what she likes. It’s been _years_ since they’d gone to a cafe together and, really, there’s no solid explanation for how the blonde knows what she likes ━ especially regarding her coffee since the sweet-to-strong ratio has to be pretty damn precise.

As Alison waits for the machine behind her to finish filtering through, she glances in Emily’s direction with a look that asks “well?” and the brunette smiles before mouthing “Perfect.” In response, the blonde offers her own smile and turns around again, back now facing Emily because, shit, they’re both way too high on this whole “crush” thing and it’s not easy to deal with anymore.

When Emily looks down at the plastic cup clasped between her hands, she tilts her head to the side and narrows her eyes while reading: _“I’ll see you at home.”_ She feels her breath get caught in her throat for a split second, afterwards forcing herself to take a deep inhale even though she can’t wipe the damn smile off her face.

The bell above the door chimes again and, this time, Emily regrets looking up because her eyes widen once they land on someone who she hasn’t seen since they broke up toward the end of high school: Paige McCullers. She bites her inner cheek and turns away from the short-haired brunette, hoping their eyes didn’t connect long enough for the girl to know who she is. Unfortunately, Paige knows _exactly_ who she is, judging by the way she gets out a surprised “Emily?” and advances in said brunette’s direction.

Alison, behind the now-empty counter, notices Paige walking up to Emily and, at first, thinks nothing of it. Yeah, the blonde never liked Paige and, to be frank, she never gave enough of a fuck to wonder what happened to her after high school but, nowadays, they’re grown up and she’s simply trying to get by in life without finding her way into trouble. That internal proclamation doesn’t last long, however, because she then remembers how Paige and Emily dated during high school and, from what she heard, it was pretty serious for a while. Alison breathes out at the thought, immediately turning around to occupy herself even though she tries her hardest to eavesdrop on the conversation somewhere behind her.

“Wow, it’s been so long,” Paige gets out as she stands right in front of Emily who nods. “How’ve you been?”

“I’ve been good,” Emily plays it off, hoping she doesn’t sound too enthusiastic even though, internally, she knows that things have been far better than a simple “good.”

“Um, let me get something to drink and we can catch up,” she motions to the counter behind her, soon disappearing when Emily forces a tight-lipped smile.

The tanned girl wishes she had come up with some excuse to leave and she really _could have,_ but, instead, her thoughts decided to come to a dramatic halt. A sigh passes her lips before she takes another, longer sip of her drink, smiling again at the overall thought of the blonde who currently takes Paige’s order. Next, she begins to wonder if Alison remembers Paige or what happened in high school, so her eyes look toward the counter and narrow when she sees the blonde putting on an obviously fake attitude. Emily wants to snort at the expression, especially when she sees Alison roll her eyes slightly once she’s turned away from Paige who waits for her order.

It doesn’t take long before her drink is slid across the counter and the girl offers Alison an abrupt “Thank you” before stalking back over to where Emily’s sitting.

“Hey, is that Alison DiLaurentis?” Paige attempts to keep her voice down, back facing in the blonde’s direction as Emily makes eye contact with an icy blue gaze.

“Uh, yeah,” Emily pretends that the question catches her off-guard.

“Small world,” the girl’s voice is flat as she props her hands up on the table between them.

“What have you been up to?” she tries to make conversation with Paige as much as possible without getting into anything far too personal; she’s attempting to get this interaction over with so she can get home quickly.

“I’ve mostly been working which, normally, involves traveling,” Paige nods as she speaks, more so to herself.

“Is that why you’re here in Baltimore?”

“Yeah, actually,” she smiles. “My company sent me and a few other colleagues to check out some of the empty office buildings around here. I was looking at one just down the street before stopping here.”

Emily makes an attentive humming noise, “Are you here for long?”

“No, unfortunately,” she shakes her head. “I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning.”

“Oh,” is all she can come up with, hoping it doesn’t sound too bummed out because it’s not like she wants━

“I know. If I was staying for longer, I’d ask if you’d like to grab dinner,” the girl smirks and, before Emily can force out some kind of “thanks, but no thanks” response, she hears Alison scoff from behind the counter.

Paige turns her head in the direction of the sound, eyebrows furrowed while Emily’s lips part because Alison’s expression is completely unreadable. In fact, Emily has no idea if the blonde is angrier with the fact that she’s given Paige the time of day, or━

“Sounds like some people never grow up,” comes Paige’s muttered statement once she’s facing Emily again.

Though Alison doesn’t seem to hear it because she shows no sign of reacting at all, Emily feels something stir in her stomach and she frowns.

“She’s a nice person, actually,” the disappointed frown stays on her face as her eyes bore into Paige.

“Hardly,” a curt laugh is given after the word.

“Okay, well,” Emily takes her phone and drink while sliding out of the single-person bench, “I’ve gotta go.”

“What?” Paige’s voice somewhat cracks when she turns to Emily who now stands a foot away. “Are you seriously leaving because of her?”

The brunette looks around to make sure that no one is staring because, not-so-surprisingly, Paige isn’t even bothering to keep her voice down. Thankfully, the three other bystanders aren’t paying attention ━ except for Alison who watches the entire thing.

“I’m leaving because of _you_ , Paige,” Emily tries, keeping her voice down.

“No,” the girl lets out an incredulous laugh before flattening her tone, “you’re leaving because of her. _Again_. You did it years ago and you’re doing it now.”

Her brown eyes partially glance at Alison who furrows her eyebrows with confusion, not knowing what Paige is talking about but being severely curious because Emily looks like she’s going to pass out from being put on the spot.

“It’s never going to change, is it?” Paige finishes with a pointed accusation.

Another seven seconds pass before Emily shakes her head and hastily backs out of the coffee shop, drink and phone in-hand while she treads the sidewalk at a steady pace. Initially, she was beginning to think that she could wait around for Alison to finish her shift so they could walk home together but, since Paige decided to throw past instances in her face while hanging out in a public cafe, that plan flew out the window.

She grits her teeth as she walks, feeling angrier with every step along the redone cement. Clearly, over the past however-many years, Paige never gained a sense of tact and/or filter system when it comes to what she should say. It’s not like they’ve spoken since their final break-up. In fact, they aren’t even friends on social media so what gives her the right to throw anything in her face? Even if they _were_ friends (in-person or online), the girl would still have no right; it’s not her place to mention anything regarding their past relationship or how Alison affected it.

Emily remembers the glance she stole at Alison once the words spilled from Paige’s mouth. The blonde looked curious and maybe a bit sympathetic. That, for one, made Emily panic more because Alison has no idea why she split with Paige and, although she’d probably feel better if she vented, she’s not sure if she’s ready. After all, a lot of the reasoning had to do with the blonde and how Emily was way too hung up on her after a while of very minimal communication between their former group of friends.

A sigh passes her lips when she takes a turn onto her street, still moving along the sidewalk even though her anger pretty much made her blank for most of the walk home. She shakes her head while passing Toby’s house, somewhat wondering if she should storm up to his front door and rant for hours after drinking a countless number of disgusting beer brands. Deciding against the idea, she keeps walking and steps onto her front lawn, not even bothering to make it onto the small pathway. Her feet take her up to the front door and she manages to pull the key out of her pocket while holding her almost-empty iced coffee.

Once the door is pushed open, she hangs her keys on the nearby hook and slams the barrier shut, automatically groaning while advancing further into the house.

The brunette’s standing in the kitchen moments later, not knowing what to do with herself because she’s still pretty damn annoyed but wants to calm down before Alison gets home which will be in fifteen minutes or so. In the end, Emily sucks up the last sip of her drink and places the cup next to the sink, quickly deciding to take a short shower before the other girl arrives.

So, without wasting any more time, she runs upstairs and grabs a new set of clothes before pushing her way into the bathroom. The shower is turned on once the door is locked behind her and, soon, she’s stepping under the warm water.

Her thoughts consume her as she stands there, never wanting to exit the shower because she’s starting to feel nervous to face Alison again. What if she asks questions about what she heard? Sure, Emily would love to tell her what went down between her and Paige back then, but would she say that Alison, specifically, was a big, contributing factor? It’s a difficult decision, especially because Emily has no idea what her relationship with the blonde is like currently ━ or what it’s called. Yeah, she admits that she likes Alison much more than she used to (which _terrifies_ her), but who knows how the blonde feels. Emily senses that Alison feels the same (or relatively close to it), but it’s not like she’s going to assume and say it out loud. If Alison wants her, she’ll say so or at least make it more known.

A smile makes its way across her lips when she remembers the feeling she gets when Alison grabs her hand to play with her fingers. Now that the bruising on her hand is nearly gone, there’s no logical reason to be so touchy but, seemingly, the blonde doesn’t care ━ and neither does Emily. It feels… sensual, in a way; the gesture doesn’t feel platonic but it’s definitely nothing too bold in the sense that the brunette has no idea where it came from. She enjoys it and, when the other girl _doesn’t_ take the opportunity to grab her hand, she actually feels let down to the point of wondering if she should take a page out of Alison’s book and trace her palm. Maybe that’s a good thing but, on the other hand, maybe it’s not; Emily doesn’t want to get too attached to someone who may or may not feel a mirrored attraction.

Once she’s finished rinsing herself off, her hand reaches for the shower knob and turns the water off. Wringing her hair, Emily steps out of the warm space and onto the small, foam mat, quickly grabbing for a nearby towel and drying herself with the soft material. As she approaches the mirror, she wipes the surface with her hand so she can see herself, automatically rolling her eyes because she looks so normal but, inside, her head is a mess.

Her clothes are thrown onto her body after an additional three minutes. Emily ultimately chose to wear a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, feeling better now that she smells less like chlorine. Stepping out of the upstairs bathroom, she hears the front door creak open before it shuts. Her ears listen to the sound of Alison hanging her key up, followed by her name being called.

Emily doesn’t answer. Instead, she walks down the steps at a sluggish rate even though she hopes she doesn’t seem too down in the dumps because she doesn’t want to ruin Alison’s day. Before Paige came along, they were having such a smooth-flowing conversation and, if you asked Emily, she wants it back.

So, as she turns the corner to see Alison in the kitchen, she continues walking until she’s standing behind the center island that separates them.

“Sorry, I was in the shower,” comes the soft explanation.

“Oh, it’s fine,” her voice is light.

Emily crosses her arms and leans against the counter, “I’m sorry about before. I was planning on walking you home, but…”

The blonde wants to know what she was going to say to finish the sentence but, when Emily doesn’t continue, she nods in response.

“It’s fine, Em. The cafe’s not that far. Thanks for the sentiment, though,” Alison smiles.

When Emily matches the expression with ease, the blonde has to force herself to look away because she hasn’t had anything to eat and, if she allows herself to stare at the brunette for much longer, she probably won’t have dinner at all thanks to her consuming thoughts.

“So, um,” Alison clears her throat, “did you eat dinner yet?”

Emily sighs, “No, I haven’t had time.”

“Good,” she turns around and the brunette raises an eyebrow. “I made us something for tonight since I had time before I left for work. You know, _after_ you left me alone again.”

“I can’t exactly help it if I have work,” Emily chuckles. “What’d you make?”

“You’ll see. It’ll be like… fifteen minutes until it’s ready, though.”

“I guess I can wait,” she puts her head down.

“Don’t even give me that. If you were _that_ hungry, you would’ve attempted to eat something before showering,” Alison challenges, earning no response from Emily who has her face buried in her folded arms.

When the brunette never offers a rebuttal, Alison gives her a knowing “Mhm” before taking a deep breath.

“How was the rest of your shift?” Emily’s voice is muffled.

“Boring,” she shrugs. “Only one other person came in once you left.”

“Hm,” comes the short hum.

“Paige ordered another drink, though,” Alison raises her eyebrows and looks away from Emily whose head shoots up at the information, wide-eyed with a dismayed, partial frown.

“Did she say anything to you?”

“No,” she shrugs again while the tanned girl breathes out, “but I’m surprised she didn’t complain because I _may have_ slipped a good amount of old coffee grounds into her drink.”

“Alison,” Emily scolds with a gentle tone, though a tiny smile tugs at the corners of her mouth.

“I can’t help it if some people never grow up,” Alison speaks matter-of-factly, emphatically mocking Paige’s words.

“So you _did_ hear?”

“She has a _really_ obnoxious voice, Em,” her eyebrows raise and Emily snorts at the statement. “I didn’t want her to think I cared enough to react to what she said.”

“Do you care?”

Alison looks around the room like she’s thinking, “I don’t care about the things _she_ says about me. She’s not important to me.”

Before Emily can respond once she sees the look Alison is giving her, the oven beeps to notify that their dinner is ready. The blonde clears her throat and turns away from the girl, carefully pulling the dish out of the oven and placing it on top of the stove so it can cool for a couple of minutes.

“Are you going to tell me what you made us yet?” Emily stares at the tinfoil-covered, rectangular dish.

“No, I’m not,” Alison chuckles. “It doesn’t even have a name, technically. It’s just something I used to make and I like it a lot, so.”

“How can it _not_ have a name, Alison?”

“Do you want to name it?”

“I don’t know what’s in it!”

“Then be patient,” her voice is now pointed, getting a frown from Emily who groans like a little kid.

After waiting another minute, Emily mutters, “It smells good,” while keeping a pout on her face.

Alison snorts at the expression, afterwards rolling her eyes with a soft “Well, thanks for the half-assed compliment.”

A smile covers up Emily’s former pout and, when she looks at Alison, she sees the girl bringing the dish toward the table before placing it on an oven mitt so it doesn’t burn a hole through the surface. The brunette takes the opportunity to grab a pair of plates and silverware, quickly finding her seat and getting comfortable across from Alison who narrows her eyes.

“Someone’s eager,” she comments without uncovering the food.

“Someone’s _hungry_ ,” Emily’s eyes widen.

“Or maybe you’re just hyper,” Alison smirks.

“That too,” she nods in agreement because, hell, she started feeling the effects of the drink once she stepped through the door.

Finally, the blonde unwraps the dish and Emily nods in an impressed manner, though she doesn’t understand how it didn’t take long to whip up before she went to work. There’s chicken, vegetables, some kind of sauce, and the brunette feels dumbfounded because it would have taken her at least three hours to figure out how to arrange everything.

Alison smirks when she sees Emily’s expression, soon assembling her own plate before the brunette does the same. Once Alison’s ready to eat, however, she pushes her chair out in order to get something to drink. While she’s rummaging through the fridge, she hears Emily hum behind her.

“Okay, I’ve gotta say,” the brunette nods while taking another bite, “you’ve outdone yourself.”

“Is it that good?” the girl lets out a small laugh, smiling nervously as she continues to pour two glasses of iced tea.

“Yes, it is,” her brown eyes go wide as she glances in Alison’s direction.

As the blonde puts away the pitcher of iced tea, she clears her throat when she feels a certain butterfly-ish feeling make its way into her stomach and chest. She doesn’t know what to respond, honestly, and, before she can stop herself, she completely backtracks and kills the light mood.

“Gabe always said that I had to learn to cook if I was going to be his wife,” afterwards, she wants to smack herself because _why_ the hell━

Emily shakes her head, feeling sympathetic as she watches Alison place two glasses on the table, “Being a wife has nothing to do with knowing how to cook. It’s not a job description.”

The blonde smiles softly, though she covers it up by taking a bite of her food.

“What _is_ a wife supposed to do, then?” she doesn’t look up but she’s genuinely curious so she swallows and takes a sip of her drink as she waits for the answer.

“She’s not _supposed_ to do anything,” Emily shrugs. “Work equally, love equally, be happy. That kind of stuff.”

“Sounds perfect,” her voice is tiny and the brunette nods.

“But, required or not, as far as cooking goes… you completely crush me,” the brunette chuckles as she finishes her food.

“Your cooking isn’t _that_ bad.”

“It’s basic.”

“But not bad.”

“I’m better at grilling because Toby taught me, but I try to stay away from ovens,” her voice is pointed. “Actually, I take that back. I can also make nice breakfasts, oven or not.”

“Prove it,” Alison dares.

“ _Okay_ , sometime I will.”

“Promise?”

“Will you bring me another, fancy coffee?”

“Yes.”

“Then I promise.”

They both smile as Alison finishes up her food, quickly bringing both of their plates to the sink and running water over them. Emily finishes her iced tea and pushes her chair away from the table, soon walking up beside Alison and putting the two glasses in the sink. She abruptly runs her hands under the water and reaches for a nearby towel, carefully drying herself as Alison side-eyes her. Once the water is shut off, Alison looks at her, smiles, and mutters, “I’m going to do a few things in my room. I’ll be out later.”

Emily nods and watches the girl walk away, forcefully keeping her eyes from drifting downwards because Alison has a habit of looking back at the most precise times. In the end, the brunette takes a deep breath and walks into the living room.

 

X X X

 

Emily wanders into the kitchen sometime around 9:30 P.M., not having seen Alison since she went to her room after dinner. From that moment, the brunette’s been cleaning her room, watching TV, and thinking about the other girl constantly. She hasn’t tried to bother her, however, because she’s determined to give the blonde as much space as possible; if Alison wants to talk, she will.

It’s getting late, though, so she walks to the back door to make sure it’s locked, followed by shutting the kitchen lights off. Before she flips the switch, she can see through the crack of Alison’s door and her eyes land on the blonde who sits on the floor at the end of her bed, the only light being from the kitchen and a nearby night-light in the hallway. Once Emily flips the switch in hopes that the girl didn’t need the light, she walks over to Alison’s door and softly knocks. The blonde turns to Emily and smiles.

“The bed’s not comfortable enough?” Emily leans against the doorway.

A tiny laugh from Alison follows, “I think more clearly when I’m sitting on the floor, oddly enough.”

“Not odd. Maybe a bit unique,” she teases. “What are you thinking about?”

“A lot.”

Emily nods but doesn’t move away from the door. She takes a deep breath as Alison stares at her.

“You can come in,” her voice is soft and inviting, sounding like it’s more of a request rather than a comment and the brunette hesitates before crossing over the room’s threshold, somewhat closing the door on her way inside.

The space is completely dark aside from the faint glow of the hallway’s night-light. Otherwise, only a small amount of moonlight seeps through the glass across from where Alison sits at the bottom of her bed, cross-legged on the floor. The brunette sits herself below one of the windows, resting straight across from the other girl as four feet of space separates them. Emily can barely make out Alison’s distinct features but there’s enough light to know how she’s sitting and, roughly, what face she’s making. Her eyes search what she can see in the room, casually noting how Alison’s made it hers. It makes her happy, but it also makes her feel a tinge of sadness for whatever reason, so she continues to look around the room to occupy herself. Soon, her brown eyes land on Alison’s nightstand, watching the small pattern of moonlight bounce off the red, plastic ring case from Vegas.

“What have you been doing since I went into hiding?” Alison chuckles.

“Cleaning, watching TV…” she pauses. “That’s really it.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t join you,” a sigh passes her lips. “I was originally reading something, then got sucked into my thoughts. It wasn’t intentional.”

“Don’t be sorry. I didn’t want to bother you.”

“You’d never bother me.”

Emily stares at her with a tiny, semi-hidden smile.

“I’m surprised you haven’t crashed yet,” Alison suddenly comments with a partly devious smirk.

“Me too,” the girl sitting across from her breathes out with a laugh. “I barely feel tired. I think the drink’s still in my system.”

Her smirk turns into a genuine smile while her voice is even, “Maybe that was my plan all along.”

After sharing another, small laugh, Emily purses her lips, “What were you thinking about before? You said ‘a lot,’ but…”

“Everything,” she takes a deep breath. “But, most recently, the cabin I used to go to with my family.”

A subtle grin appears on her face and Emily can faintly see it, almost like she’s reminiscing just from the mere mention of her family’s former vacation spot.

“Describe it to me,” it’s more of a suggestion than a demand and Alison’s smile grows because she’s never really vented about her favorite place, but, for whatever reason, she’s eager to tell Emily about it.

“Okay,” she says through a deep exhale and closes her eyes. “Sorry if my words come out a little scattered. I, um… I’ve never told anyone about it in depth. It’s hard to share the entire feeling just through speaking.”

Emily already feels herself growing more attached to the girl in front of her, but she doesn’t say anything. Instead, she listens intently with admiring eyes.

“The summer after you and I stopped talking completely, once everything went down… my family started coming back together. At first, it was patchy because, before, we were so damn _shattered_ ,” she shakes her head, “but my dad booked a vacation out in North Carolina and didn’t give us much of a choice.”

The brunette now understands why Alison seemed so silent once she told her that her parents were heading to North Carolina. She smiles again.

“We took one car there and, God, it was so obnoxious. It was cramped and, honestly, I didn’t think I’d survive. You know how much of a princess I was, back then,” Alison makes a face and Emily laughs hard.

She clears her throat, “Um, but yeah. While we drove, the land started to change and the trees became super dense. Everything seemed darker. Like… the leaves, the bark on the trees, the road… _everything_.”

A short pause follows but the blonde grins more than before, picturing the memory of when they first pulled up to the cabin.

“I remember seeing a lone, white tree next to a broken sign with rusty bells hanging off one side. That’s when my dad took a right and the road turned to dust. The house was pushed far back, practically against this big lake. We didn’t have any neighbors which, at the time, I was kind of annoyed at because I’m never one to just sit around for five days.”

She continues with a bigger smile, “That vacation house changed that part of me. All I wanted to do was sit by the lake and stare at the water. There used to be this picnic table near the edge of the woods that I’d sit on for hours. Not on the bench part because, for whatever reason, I liked to relax on the table portion, but…” a content sigh falls from her lips and Emily leans further against the wall, studying Alison’s face.

“The house’s interior wasn’t the nicest. Most things were broken or old-fashioned, but I didn’t care. After the first day, I was in love. It was the only place where I felt completely weightless. I could think for hours and hours and just… _breathe_.”

Her blue eyes look down at her hands, “But we only went a few times. It was usually vacant, but…” she sighs. “I’d always look online and check to see what dates were already taken, just in case my parents ended up having time for a short vacation. It was almost _always_ free. We could never make it there, though, since it’s not the closest to Rosewood,” she lets out another laugh, this one bittersweet.

“After my mom died, we didn’t bother taking family vacations,” Alison finishes with a whisper, though she sounds more regretful than sad. “My dad became an alcoholic, and…” she glances downwards, playing with her hands as she voices another thought, “I stopped trying to make things work. I haven't spoken to him in years. Neither has Jason.”

“I’m so sorry I didn’t reach out after…” Emily can’t come up with anything more, feeling awful. “I didn’t know…”

“It’s okay,” Alison smiles sadly. “I know you would’ve said something if you had known.”

“Do you?” her eyes seem as if she’s pleading. “Do you really know that? Honestly.”

The blonde nods, “You may have been angry with me, or…” she licks her lips in thought, pausing before starting a new sentence, “But I know that, the second you found out what happened, you would’ve been at my door. You were always comforting like that. And protective.”

A tiny laugh comes from Emily, albeit it’s shaky and regretful, somewhat feeling annoyed because Spencer and Aria never mentioned a damn thing but, in the end, she realizes that it’s because they were always walking on eggshells when it came to talking about the blonde in front of her. Ultimately, it’s somewhat her own fault for forcing them to keep their mouths shut since they never knew how she’d react when speaking about Alison ━ no matter how important this is. She can’t blame them, in the end, and possibly Alison sees the thoughts swirling in her eyes because, seconds later, she’s speaking again.

“I didn’t want a lot of people to know what happened. I couldn’t stand the questions or concerns, even if people were trying to be supportive. I shut down for a while, actually, but I healed. I learned more about my own insecurities and improved after everything. I knew my mom would’ve wanted that,” Alison confesses.

When she locks sight with Emily to see curiosity dancing within the girl’s eyes, she explains, “She had a fatal heart attack out of nowhere, and… that was it. There’s not much more to the story, sadly.”

Emily swallows hard, feeling choked up, “I’m still sorry I wasn’t there for you.”

“You’re here now,” Alison manages to smile, seeing a faint blush crawl onto Emily’s cheekbones through the darkness between them.

Brown eyes stare at her as the sad information sinks in regarding everything while the fluttering in her stomach finally subsides, and Emily eventually finds her voice to make the topic lighter, fifteen seconds later.

“So, this vacation house… would you ever go back?” she speaks as she tilts her head to the side.

Alison smiles, “I’d love to, but I’m not even sure if it’s still standing. I haven’t checked up on it recently.”

The brunette nods, wishing that they both could head there. Truly, she’d love to see the cabin, especially if Alison is _this_ fond of it.

“Honestly, I wish I could go back,” the blonde confesses again. “I feel safest there… almost like I can protect myself from anything or anyone. It’s the only place where I feel _completely_ myself.”

“Why haven’t you checked on it lately?” Emily wonders aloud.

Alison’s lips part when she doesn’t exactly have a good reason, but settles on giving the girl a general explanation that covers a lot of her behavior, hoping Emily understands.

She begins with a whisper, “When I was with Holbrook, I forgot where I came from. I forgot who I was and how I used to act before he came along.”

Emily can faintly hear the girl choking up but doesn’t question it.

The blonde continues, “I think that’s why I’m starting to remember everything. Because I’m not trapped anymore.”

The girl sitting across from her chews her lower lip in thought and hesitates when she feels a question bubble in her throat. Within seconds, however, she forces the words out in hopes that Alison will be open with her.

“Is that why you moved here so willingly?” she asks before quietly adding, “Because you’re… afraid of what he turned you into?”

“Yeah,” Alison nods after a moment, not bothering to hide what she truly feels. “Sure, you and I weren’t on the best of terms at the time, but…” she glances downwards, “at least I know that you’d never…” again, her voice trails off, “no matter how complicated our relationship is.”

“I’m glad you know that.”

“I couldn’t own up to the actual reason for me moving here, though. I don’t think I realized the true reason until I walked away from you after saying it. It was somewhat a… big smack in the face, when I _did_ realize it.”

“If it’s any consolation, I would’ve let you stay here, anyway. I was bothered by everything, yeah, but I wouldn’t have held it over your head.”

“Thank you,” Alison mutters. “I wish I had asked instead of forcing my way into your house.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Emily chuckles and the other girl mimics the reaction.

The brunette looks at her again, “Can I ask you a question?”

“Mhm,” she responds even though she’s kind of nervous to know what Emily’s about to ask.

Emily shifts on the floor, stretching her legs out to mirror Alison’s most recent position because, really, her butt is going numb but she’s enjoying her time with the blonde so much that she’s not about to mention the fact that they’re still on the ground.

“When we were at Holbrook’s the other day,” the brunette starts, “why’d you have so much money stashed in an old vent?”

Alison’s lips part but nothing comes out. When Emily sees the girl’s stunned expression in the subtle light, she clears her throat and backtracks with a whispered “You don’t have to answer. I’m sorry.”

“My relationship with him was complicated,” is her initial answer. “I knew it was bad. Actually, I knew it was _horrible_ , but I stayed with him. I can’t really tell you why. Not because I don’t want to, but because I honestly have no idea…”

Emily turns her head away, feeling a sharp pain in her chest because Alison’s voice sounds hollow as she stares at the small section of floor between them.

“Whenever I got paid, he’d take a good chunk of my paycheck, if not _all_ of it once it was cashed,” she explains. “He’d let me keep enough money to pay my phone bill and basically take care of myself, but then he’d gamble with the rest or use it for alcohol that’d be gone in a day.”

The brunette now looks down at her hand, balling it into a fist as she studies her knuckles.

“So, I came up with a plan to trick him. My boss raised my pay at one point but, instead, I told him that it was cut due to budget. He never looked into anything because I guess he didn’t care enough to,” Alison breathes out. “I opened a few accounts to separate my money, just for a backup and a _backup_ to the backup. I was afraid that, _somehow_ , he’d get his dirty hands on what I was saving,” she rubs her lips together. “Then, I stored some actual cash in case I lost my accounts for whatever reason.”

“That’s smart, though,” Emily replies, trying to lift the girl’s spirits at least a fraction.

“ _Smart_ ,” Alison raises her eyebrows while pursing her lips. “I guess… but I shouldn’t have felt the need to hide money, in the first place,” she sounds regretful.

“What were you planning on doing with it? Like… what were you saving up for?”

She sighs, “I don’t know. I guess that some part of me wanted to get away, but I didn’t know where to go or how I’d get there. I didn’t know anything. Even when I first got _here_ , I didn’t know how I’d survive.”

“Well, you got away and, look, you’re still surviving,” Emily smiles and Alison mirrors the expression, allowing herself to revel in the feeling of true happiness because it’s been a while.

“You’ve been a big help, really,” her voice is quiet and the brunette’s smile grows.

“That means a lot.”

An extended period of silence takes over while they both stare at one another. Since Emily sat down, the moonlight has shifted a bit but not much since the shadow of Toby’s house hides most of it. It looks brighter, however, probably because her eyes have finally adjusted to the darkness. Nevertheless, she can only make out a small grin on Alison’s face as they continue making disrupted eye contact. The brunette wonders what time it is, mostly because it seems like she’s been sitting on the floor for hours but, honestly, she’d stay here forever if she could because she’s been feeling things that she hasn’t felt in years ━ both of them, actually.

“Can I ask you a question now?” Alison breaks the silence and Emily somewhat panics internally, though she doesn’t steer away from nodding with a short “Mhm” because she wants to be equally as open with the girl sitting across from her.

The blonde takes a deep breath before asking, “What was Paige talking about in the coffee shop, earlier today?”

She’s afraid to lock eyes with Emily who looks somewhere else, anyway, so Alison stares at the floor while expanding on the question, “When she said that things are never going to change, I mean.”

Emily licks her lips and only partially faces the blonde, breathing out a soft “Okay” before she relaxes; she knew that Alison was wondering about what happened earlier, but, quite frankly, she had forgotten about the encounter until the girl mentioned it just now.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but I’m curious…” her voice is gentle.

“Towards the end of high school…” already, the brunette loses her courage and plays with her fingers, “I was dating Paige, as you know, but we broke up after nearly a year.”

“Mhm,” Alison remembers clearly; she recalls getting a stinging taste in her mouth whenever she walked by the two holding hands in the hallway solely because Paige’s sharp tongue pissed her off and, if you asked the blonde, Emily deserved better ━ she still does.

“It was this huge thing,” she shakes her head. “We were together, then we were broken up, and then together again… and it was mostly my fault.”

Alison pays attention, staying silent as she watches Emily remember everything.

“Finally, after another few break-ups and make-ups, I realized that I… couldn’t _deal_.”

“With her?”

“With you,” the brunette leans her head back with a large exhale, practically speaking to the ceiling while Alison frowns as she watches her with furrowed eyebrows.

She continues, “It took me a while but I eventually realized that I was still way too caught up in you. Not that we ever dated so there’s not exactly a valid reason for it,” the girl shakes her head harder as she rambles, “but I don’t know. Once I realized, I think I kind of… _hinted_ at the fact that I still liked you and she didn’t take it well. After that, we only spoke when we ran into each other.”

“I’m sorry,” Alison feels her chest growing heavy as she gets smacked in the face with a wave of guilt. “I really didn’t know…” her voice trails off, not knowing how to explain to Emily that she didn’t realize how strong her feelings were at the time; Alison knew that the brunette liked her and, yes, she used it to her advantage for a period of time toward the beginning of the girl’s crush, but she didn’t realize how deep those feelings ended up being.

“Honestly, it was a while after everything happened between us,” Emily mutters. “You shouldn’t be sorry. It was my own, stupid head messing things up.”

“Do you wish that things would’ve worked out with her?”

The brunette feels taken aback by the question, causing her mouth to open and close as her eyes dart around the dark room. Alison stares at her, waiting and attempting to keep the question lingering although she feels as though she should backtrack and tell the girl to forget it. She keeps her lips sealed, however, and looks at Emily with attentive eyes because she’s curious.

“I wish that things would’ve worked out with _someone_ ,” Emily answers after thinking long and hard. “Not necessarily with her because, between you and I… she was overbearing. She was always trying to protect me when I just wanted to feel _needed_. I didn’t want to feel safe or coddled. That’s not me,” she explains with a semi-desperate tone. “But I wish that I had someone solid who’d want to be my equal instead of trying to baby me the entire time.”

“So, you miss being in an actual relationship?”

“I guess, but I can’t fully miss being in an actual relationship because I feel like I’ve never exactly experienced that. All this time, I’ve been going through the same motions over and over again. I went with the flow and dated whoever. Slept with whoever. I was never able to settle down.”

Alison lets out a soft laugh when Emily broadly mentions serious commitment, “What changed?”

She smirks when Emily looks at her again, the girl grinning as she rolls her eyes with a laugh that matches Alison’s, “The fact that I was drunk and feeling free.”

“I made you feel free?” it’s only somewhat a joke, but the blonde smiles as she asks and she’s faced with a starting-to-blush kind of embarrassed expression.

She nods slowly but speaks with conviction, “Yes, actually. You did.”

“Do I still?”

This time, the blonde’s voice sounds curious and maybe a bit hopeful, causing Emily to swallow hard when she’s not prepared for the question ━ though she should’ve figured that the girl would ask it because, let’s be honest, Alison enjoys putting her in sticky situations.

Again, the brunette nods, “You do.”

Alison’s smile turns visibly lovable as she blushes a little, shifting her body so she’s out of the moonlight in case Emily was able to see the color covering her cheekbones while in her previous position.

“Good,” the blonde finally whispers. “You make me feel… equal,” she uses the girl’s word from before, hoping it’s not all too forward even though she can’t help but confess what’s on her mind.

Emily’s breath gets caught in her throat as she stares at Alison, soon turning away because her eyes briefly flicker to the girl’s lips. The air seems lighter now that she’s vented about Paige, but, currently, she feels so high that she’s almost ready to make a stupid decision. To be honest, she wants to kiss the girl who sits across from her but there’s no way in hell she’s moving from her spot against the wall, especially because she has no idea what’s going on in Alison’s mind right now ━ until said blonde speaks up.

“Do you still want to know what Jason was going to say?” Alison takes a chance even though her chest feels like it’s going to cave in.

Emily is caught off-guard and doesn’t answer immediately. Realistically, she simply stares at Alison with surprised eyes and parted lips before taking a deep breath and nodding with an almost-inaudible “Yes.”

The blonde clears her throat and, at first, laughs because, now that she’s about to make a huge confession, she feels her hands shaking so heavily that she has to squeeze them between her knees while her legs are stretched out.

“He was going to mention how, when we were younger, I used to be…” she takes a deep breath, “I used to be extremely frustrated over you. I…” again, her voice fades out and she chews her bottom lip.

Finally, Alison gains a bit more courage and forces the words out, “I did… feel something for you. I liked you, actually.”

Again, her mumbled words hold regret while she looks at her hands clasped between her knees, “It’s not like I was about to let myself admit that I actually felt something for you, even though I think everyone pretty much knew,” she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes before trying to continue.

“Whenever we kissed…” the sentence dies before it’s finished, her throat tightening up because, after each instance of acting on her feelings when they were younger, she’d feel herself retreating into a shell of backlash and disappointment.

Meanwhile, Emily feels part of her childhood self nearly passing out because, God, this is Alison DiLaurentis ━ A.K.A. the girl she pined after for years even though their relationship, at the time, was toxic. On the other hand, even though she smiles, she feels sorry for the blonde because, currently, she sounds so conflicted and self-loathing.

“We all deal with our internal battles differently, Alison,” the brunette tries to offer comfort, her eyes holding delicacy as she sees the girl bite her lower lip in thought.

“I know,” she continues to face away while picking at a thread on her shorts, “but that doesn’t give anyone the right to do what I did to you, so I’m sorry. For everything.”

After a short pause, Emily nods.

“Maybe…” Alison begins again, “maybe someday I’ll be able to make it up to you.”

“You’re already making it up to me,” Emily smiles, “so thank you.”

Alison’s eyes glance at the girl and she shows her a genuine smile, feeling fuzzy on the inside.

“ _And_ , as long as we’re admitting things…” Emily starts, “I didn't mean to snap at you the other day when my parents left. I’ve been doing this idiotic thing where I speak before I think and it's not going well.”

She draws a laugh out of Alison, smiling harder at the sound.

The blonde waits a few seconds before regaining a timid expression and whispering, “Did you mean what you said?”

Emily swallows hard and bows her head, “No, I…”

“Please don't think I'm going to laugh at whatever you want to say, Em. I'm genuinely asking how you feel.”

“I feel… conflicted. Nervous, maybe. Paranoid,” she lists. “About that moment, in particular… no, I didn't mean what I said, but it's too complicated to explain.”

“I won't make you try to explain, but I'm relieved that you didn’t mean it,” comes Alison's cryptic reply, her voice tiny.

They make eye contact again, feeling more and more involved with one another through the passing minutes and conversations. When Emily initially came into the room, things were difficult to explain, but now? She feels like she’s completely love drunk and, honestly, wishes she could admit it aloud because, if she doesn’t soon, it may consume her.

Alison, similarly, feels her chest warming at the thought of having Emily, _officially_ , as hers ━ disregarding the fact that, yeah, they’re already, legally together. If she had her old confidence, she’d crawl over and kiss Emily against the wall for hours on end, but, currently, she feels like there’s a brick in her throat and tries to keep on an unreadable facade because she doesn’t want the brunette to know that she’s _completely_ done for; maybe, if Emily knew, she’d use it to her advantage ━ even if it’s not in a sinister way. Actually, maybe it’d be a good thing for Emily to use it against her; normally, when Alison feels challenged, she fights back three times as hard and, possibly, it’d get an even more fun game of “let’s see who wins this one” going.

“It’s getting late,” Emily breaks the tension with a gentle voice. “I should probably go upstairs.”

Although she doesn’t particularly want to, she begins to get up and Alison follows suit. Emily stares at her for another second or two before forcing herself to move toward the door. Meanwhile, the blonde wrings her hands in front of her body, wanting to say something but not finding the strength. Once Emily reaches the door, however, Alison suddenly yet quietly stutters out the half-assed suggestion, “You don’t… have to go upstairs,” and the brunette turns around when she hears the shaky tone.

“I mean…” Alison’s mouth opens and closes before she takes a deep breath, “can you… sleep down here with me?” she barely manages to look at the girl. “I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

After a short period of letting the request sink in, Emily nods and Alison smiles as much as she can. She timidly approaches and takes the brunette’s hand a moment later, gently tugging her toward the mattress until the covers are lifted so they can slide beneath.

Once they’re both trapped under the blankets, Alison takes her time getting situated while Emily tries to do the same, still feeling a tad out of place because she wasn’t necessarily expecting to sleep in the blonde’s bed tonight ━ not to say it’s a particularly _bad_ surprise. In fact, she’s nervous yet kind of excited, mostly because there’s a sense of closeness and comfort that comes with the situation, even though she can’t exactly get comfortable because she has no idea what to do with her hands or body or, well, _anything_.

While her thoughts begin to twist with mounting nerves, she feels Alison lift her arm in order to fully cuddle up, though the girl’s grasp feels like it’s shaking. So, in order to provide a silent declaration of “I want to feel just as close to you,” Emily’s arm invitingly wraps around Alison as the girl presses her body into the brunette’s side, partially lying her head on her chest. Alison hooks her leg over Emily’s, hoping nothing she’s doing is too straightforward while the girl pressed against the mattress enjoys the overall, metaphorical ━ and legitimate ━ warmth of the position.

They lie there quietly, steadily breathing as much as they can while noticeable tension builds. Alison faintly hears Emily’s heart beating faster than it normally would and smiles against the girl’s shirt, suddenly feeling the need to distract herself because, quite frankly, it’s getting hard to keep her hands to herself. When Alison realizes that she likely needs some sort of physical touch to feel satisfied, however, she reaches for Emily’s free hand, previously resting on her stomach. Immediately, her fingertips begin to draw patterns on the girl’s skin, earning a soft smile from the brunette who noticeably relaxes with a deep breath.

“I missed you, you know,” Alison confesses as she focuses on what she’s doing.

“Really?” the other girl whispers with a tinge of relief mixed with surprise.

“Mhm. I, um,” she licks her lips and smiles, “looked you up a little while ago. Stalked your social media, I mean.”

Emily laughs, feeling Alison’s head shake against her shirt.

She swallows hard, “You seemed like you were happy.”

Her voice displays regret and maybe a tinge of hurt, but her fingertips continue to move across Emily’s skin, partially traveling up the back of her wrist.

“I seemed it, yeah.”

“Weren’t you?”

When she can’t directly answer the question because it’s not the simplest thing to respond to, she settles on explaining, “I felt… content, but something was always missing.”

“Me too,” Alison whispers after three, silent seconds.

Suddenly, the blonde gradually stills her movements and backs up an inch or so, looking at Emily who can only side-eye her because she’s afraid she’ll lose control of the situation. It feels like minutes pass before Alison speaks but, in reality, it’s hardly ten seconds.

“Thank you for always taking care of me,” now, her voice is only partly audible but Emily hears perfectly.

“Of course,” the brunette’s words are even quieter, not being able to exit her throat but Alison reads her lips.

Alison continues to stare at her for what feels like an eternity before she swallows hard and leans forward, pressing a lingering kiss barely an inch away from Emily’s lips as brown eyes flutter shut, only to open when the gentle sensation disappears.

When Alison backs up a tiny bit, she can almost hear the brunette’s breathing hitch, causing her to smile nervously and rub her lips together before carefully laying her head back down onto the girl’s chest as she pushes closer.

Within seconds, she resumes writing little words on Emily’s skin, smiling when the brunette’s heartbeat, once again, is sped up. Maybe, she thinks, tonight marks the beginning of something… _newer_ ━ or so they both hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is, indeed, another milestone in their forming relationship. A kiss on the cheek is something small, yes, but you have to look into everything that happened around the gesture. Alison stopping herself from kissing Emily on the lips is pretty major. We all know that they have romantic feelings, yeah, but this lengthy scene between them was far beyond "I like you and you like me" territory; finally, they got to know each other ━ even more than before their group split up years ago. It's deeper than romance. These two actually, wholeheartedly admire and respect one another, which Alison (on some level) wanted to show by controlling her impulses and simply kissing Emily on the cheek after thanking her. That "thank you," alone, was deeper than the actual words. I think that's important to know.
> 
> Regarding the ending, we all know that "something missing" was hinting at Alison when it comes to Emily's life after high school, and Emily was always on Alison's mind after everything. Also, Alison, what was it that you told Mona and Hanna? "I wasn't stalking. There's a difference between stumbling upon someone's page, and caring enough to constantly stay on their page, which, by the way, I don't care enough." And so the truth floweth forth.
> 
> Smaller notes: Holbrook is and forever will be the moldy gum on the bottom of my shoe. Alison regrets staying with him, yes, but, again… it was a form of self-punishment, in a way. Emily, admittedly, was her escape. ━ This North Carolina cabin seems nice. Maybe, just maybe, we'll pay a visit. ━ Regarding Alison having impeccable taste in coffee-choice for Emily: Remember, memorizing your significant other's coffee (or tea, for that matter) order is vital for a healthy relationship… or maybe that's just me. ━ There's that marriage "joke" again. Guys, just admit that you like being married. I'm getting old over here.
> 
> I won't dance around this Paige thing any longer, so all I'll say is ? *insert "Chloe, we're going to Disneyland" meme* ━ Okay, but seriously… she was a bit helpful in the "let's get this show on the road" department. Emily finally spilled her heart about both her relationship(s) and Alison in high school, plus what she wants ━ which Alison wants just as much. Emily wants things to work out with someone (*cough cough*), and Alison agrees; basically, Alison is Emily's equal, whereas Alison makes Emily feel free. I find it interesting because, looking back, we were introduced to an Alison who was troubled by a demeaning Holbrook which, obviously, made her a very unequal person, but Emily's changed that by inviting Alison to be her counterpart. Then, for Emily, Ch 1 introduced a girl who was ━ as Mona said ━ a stick in the mud, but she came into contact with Alison and suddenly all hell broke loose. Now, we have an Emily that feels free and can live a little.
> 
> Briefly touched-upon in this chapter were Alison's high school feelings for Emily. Yes, indeed, they were real, and Jason knew about those feelings. How did he know? You'll see (in due time). That brings me to a review question I want to answer: Those who are wondering whether or not we'll see/learn about the girls' relationship in the past as we move forward, the answer is yes ━ very much yes. Although in the closer future we'll more so learn about it rather than see through flashbacks, there will (eventually) be a number of flashbacks both lovely and heartbreaking (I apologize in advance). You may even see the kisses they shared way back when. ━ Side note for this particular instance: Emily finally got her "I'm sorry for what happened back then" apology. That's very important, so don't forget it. Similarly, Alison got her apology for the other day, and it sounds a lot like she's relieved that Emily isn't unhappy with their marriage.
> 
> I know I keep saying "from here on out," but… from here on out, we're going to pick up speed. Yes, we're still in a slow-burn situation (and, yes, I realize that you may come at me with pitchforks soon), but things will first speed up in the thought department because, starting next chapter, it's all or nothing with these two since now they realize what feelings they're dealing with. The biggest obstacle they're going to face together is where they want this relationship to go ━ or if there will be a relationship, at all. It's kinda hard to decide what you want to be with someone when you're already, technically married to them, don't ya think? Maybe that'll be a contributing factor to their decision.
> 
> On another note, Ch 12 brings chocolate cupcakes, playful teasing, bro-time, Melissa, and Lucy! Oh, and more Emison.
> 
> Next update: Monday (A.K.A. the day before Tuesday; A.K.A. the day before #PLL day).
> 
> I apologize for boring you with my hyper babble for almost 900 words, but this chapter was/is one of my (two) favorites, so. I'll see you next week, my friends!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know,  
> I'm always so thrilled to see reviews commending me for how I write these girls/their relationship ━ and how I write in general. I think, as people, we always look for feedback whether it's positive or negative so it pushes us in the right direction to better ourselves, but I have to say that the simple, "you're doing a great job" type of messages I've been getting really take the cake. I've said this before and I'll say it again: Writing is not a hobby for me. I don't do it just because I'm bored. I write stories to better myself and to earn reactions from people like ya'll, hoping to share with you a colorful, wild little thing I like to call my imagination. It's something I hope to spend my life doing. I guess what I'm trying to get at is another thank you, of sorts. You've made me a better writer and, ultimately, someone who wants to share their bigger-than-life thoughts with the world.
> 
> P.S. You also make me feel better when I write horribly lengthy author's notes, so thank you x2 for often sending in reviews telling me that they're entertaining/useful when I honestly think I ramble way too much. ━ P.P.S. This ending, author's note is around 800 words again. My bad.
> 
> *Clears throat* Anyway, moving on and getting down to business.
> 
> Let's see what this chapter has in store for our faves.

Alison steps over the front door’s threshold and closes the barrier behind her. The house is quiet, though the outside’s noise level is pretty damn substantial since Lucy’s party is being held next door at Toby’s house. While she was walking by on her way home from a shift at work, the girl smiled upon hearing a number of kids screaming from the backyard ━ well,  _ technically  _ she only smiled because she knows that Emily is likely somewhere with Lucy, making sure she has the best, sixth birthday ever.

She walks through the hallway and into her room, again smiling at the bed that’s now made, likely because Emily figured the blonde would enjoy sleeping in a freshly set bed tonight.

_ Alison shifts in Emily’s arms as they lie along the mattress, the brunette’s front pressed against her backside. She’s already half-awake, mostly because she partially switched her position a few moments ago, only to be spooned by the girl who is also somewhat awake. _

_ As a small grin appears on Alison’s face, her phone begins to buzz on her bedside table, causing her to jump immediately so it doesn’t disrupt the brunette too much. When she sees that it’s a text from her new boss, her heart automatically sinks because she just had the best night’s sleep in a while and she’d much rather stay this way for a couple more hours ━ or forever.  _

_ Instead, it’s nearing nine o’clock in the morning and her boss wants her to start her shift earlier because, for whatever reason, Wednesday’s morning rush is super dense. Her eyes slam shut as she lies in the same position, wanting to groan loudly but still trying not to wake Emily even further.  _

_ The brunette holds her tighter as if she senses that the girl’s going to try to escape, semi-dragging the blonde backwards so their bodies are completely pressed together, and Alison smiles sadly because she has to go even though she really, really, really doesn’t want to. _

_ Without delaying further ━ because, if she stays put any longer, she’d just get herself fired ━ Alison slides away from the other girl and walks over to the closet. In the process, she doesn’t hear Emily turn over so, naturally, she pulls her shirt over her head while standing in front of the folding doors, deciding to put a fresh outfit on before grabbing her work apron and whatever else. As she finds a new shirt, the brunette opens one eye and sees Alison’s bare skin, immediately closing it because, if the blonde turns around, she doesn’t know what she’d say. She can’t stop herself, however, and peeks once more, rubbing her lips together before flopping onto her back and rubbing her face. _

_ When she uncovers her eyes, Alison is turning around with her fresh clothes on, looking regretful as she approaches the bed.  _

_ “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you,” she whispers. _

_ Emily blinks heavily, “Where are you going?” _

_ “My boss wants me to go in for an earlier shift,” Alison explains as she rounds the bed so she can take her phone off the side table. _

_ The brunette doesn’t respond and her eyes can barely stay open. Alison admirably smiles when she sees the sleepy expression, sitting next to Emily on the edge of the bed. She turns her body slightly and reaches for the girl’s arm so she can rub small circles on her skin, hoping to help Emily fall back into her dreams. _

_ “Go back to sleep,” the blonde’s voice is comforting, afterwards trailing her fingers upward and brushing a strand of hair out of the sleepy girl’s face. _

_ Emily gets out a small laugh, “Is it okay if I stay in here while you're gone?” _

_ “You can stay in here whenever you’d like,” Alison matches the laugh and pushes herself off the mattress. _

_ “Have a nice day,” Emily manages to say as the blonde begins to walk through the doorway.  _

_ She stops and turns to look at the brunette again, watching her brown eyes flutter shut before saying, “Sleep tight,” and walking out with a shy grin.  _

Alison clears her throat in order to break up her thoughts, quickly walking over to her closet so she can pick out a new set of clothes because she smells like coffee and baked goods ━ not to say that’s a horrible thing. She breathes out while changing, not really wanting to do anything substantial today but excited to see the brunette who’s been on her mind all day.

Hours ago, Emily texted her ━ which she’s only done a time or two in recent days. Albeit, the message was a reminder that she’d be at Toby’s once Alison got home from work, but the blonde smiled at the fact that the girl went out of her way to send it, in the first place. After that, they texted back and forth a few times, mostly because Emily elongated the conversation by asking Alison how work was going and, likewise, the blonde didn’t want to drop the communication, so she asked how the brunette slept. Alison remembers her response and smirks:  _ “I slept like a baby. I may end up stealing your bed.”  _ Of course, the blonde couldn’t take the underlying flirtatiousness without dishing out some of her own, so she responded,  _ “You’ll have to steal me too because I’m not giving it up.” _

At the time, she actually rolled her eyes at herself because, God, she’s become so damn cheesy and it’s ridiculous, but, lately, she’s been having such a nice time with the brunette. Take last night, for example; they talked for hours about anything and everything while laying their worries and thoughts on the table, yet it was so airy and refreshing that, in the end, Alison is genuinely surprised she was able to keep herself from kissing Emily on the mouth before they fell asleep. Of course, they didn’t fall asleep without Alison’s fingertips roaming up the brunette’s arm while continuously drawing patterns and writing more-complex notes including _ “You make me feel safe”  _ and  _ “Please don’t leave.”  _ Basically, if Alison’s being honest, she uses her finger-drawing opportunities to confess the things she can’t get herself to say out loud and, thankfully, Emily has no idea what she’s writing because that’s something Alison wouldn’t be able to explain ━  _ especially  _ because she has no idea where their relationship is heading or where the brunette  _ wants  _ it to go.

Once she’s able to force herself out of her thoughts yet again, Alison exits her bedroom and walks through the kitchen, quickly approaching the back, sliding doors. 

She steps out onto the back porch, eyes immediately landing upon the group of five- and six-year-olds running across the length of Toby’s backyard, laughing and yelling as some fight with balloon swords. Additionally, a few more swim around within the in-ground pool with floaties, splashing happily. Adults stand nearby, simply lingering and talking with one another by the table of food set out. Alison doesn’t see any of her friends, however, so she takes a deep breath and descends the deck stairs, soon walking across the lawn, opening the gate, and making her way into Toby’s yard. No one pays attention to her as she enters the fenced-in area, but she hears familiar laughing coming from a lounge chair that’s pressed against the opposite side of the yard. 

Her lips curve into a soft smile as she peers through a group of adults who walk away whilst discussing something in hushed tones.

“Hm, this chair looks awfully comfortable,” she hears Emily tease as she approaches, watching the brunette attempt to sit down on a towel-covered kid who giggles. 

Soon, the young girl stands up and jumps on Emily’s back, laughing hard as she covers the brunette’s eyes with her hands. Alison smiles fully, eventually lingering a number of feet away as the little girl moves one of her hands so Emily can see the blonde standing nearby. Alison quirks an eyebrow, being given a sheepish grin by the tanned girl who clears her throat while putting the kid down.

“Um,” Emily laughs, looking down at the small girl beside her, “Lucy, this is Alison.”

“Alison,” she looks at the blonde, “this is Lucy. Melissa’s daughter.”

Her blue eyes note how familiar Lucy appears, almost like she’s met her before but never really has. Truly, she definitely has that Hastings gene and Alison smiles because, honestly, it’s extremely fucking prominent and she’s practically staring at a miniature  _ Spencer _ with light-brown hair and dimples.

Alison smiles big at the little girl, giving her a sweet “Happy birthday” to which she earns a bashful yet warm “Thank you.”

Emily unintentionally stares at Alison the entire time, soon looking down toward Lucy when the blonde catches her, smirking.

“So,” Lucy starts again, turning to Emily, “she’s your wife?”

The girl standing across from the brunette smiles and raises her eyebrows, more so because she didn’t think that Emily would willingly tell anyone, even if it’s a young kid. Emily, on the other hand, gets out a nervous laugh when she sees Alison’s expression, afterwards nodding to Lucy with a hummed “Mhm” even though she’s playfully glaring at the little girl who obviously spilled a secret.

“You told her?” the blonde asks with a constant smile.

“It briefly came up in conversation,” Emily looks away and blushes, desperately trying to avoid the topic ━ though Lucy refuses to let her.

“Still sad I wasn’t invited to the wedding,” she pouts while dragging her foot along the grass.

“You wouldn’t have enjoyed it,” Emily responds with a light tone before grinning, bending down, and teasing, “There was no chocolate cake.”

She straightens her back out as Lucy giggles at the statement, immediately looking at Alison who narrows her eyes in amusement. Emily remains attempting to look away from the girl staring at her but, within seconds, she’s frowning in confusion because Lucy is tugging on her hand so they’re at the same level. Emily bends down, allowing her ear to linger because the little girl is somewhat moving her hand in front of her face to whisper ━ or use her “inside” voice that’s not all that quiet, anyway.

“She’s really pretty,” she gets out and Emily’s eyes flicker to Alison who tilts her head with another smile, waiting for the brunette’s response as she stays hunched over.

Finally, Emily turns slightly, using the same, not-so-whispered voice as she says, “Yeah, I guess she is,” while side-eyeing Alison for a split second.

Before she can stand up straight once more, Lucy backs up a little and claims, “It’s okay to admit things,” which draws a laugh and head nod from Emily.

“Gee, that sounds a lot like something your mother would say,” the brunette gives the girl a pointed look, being flashed a cheesy smile. “Speaking of… I think I hear her calling you from inside.”

“You better not be gone when I get back,” Lucy points at Emily, earning a pair of surrendering hands until she skips away and disappears into the house.

When they’re alone, Alison approaches Emily more, soon standing beside her as blue eyes continue to bore into the girl’s temple with a never-disappearing smirk. The brunette, on the other hand, clears her throat forcefully and looks anywhere  _ but  _ at the girl standing nearby, purposely sealing her lips because she feels her cheeks heating up and wants to melt into a puddle. Alison doesn’t push it, however, and instead speaks up with a change in topic ━ for now.

“She looks  _ so much _ like Spencer,” Alison exhales, looking stunned.

Emily laughs, “Don’t let Melissa hear that,” and Alison follows suit, her eyes widening at the possible reaction.

“Trust me, I won’t. She never liked me,” the blonde confesses, voice not holding sadness but a tinge of remembrance.

Brown eyes look at her, afterwards focusing elsewhere as she says, “Well, Melissa didn’t like anyone.”

Alison purses her lips and faces Emily, mostly in curiosity because, normally, she’d either keep her mouth shut or throw a subtle jab at the blonde. The brunette, seeing her expression, allows a tiny smile to cover her mouth before she turns away again, feeling extra nervous because they’ve been warming up to one another more than ever before ━ even in high school during that period of multiple, “experimental” kisses. She’d be lying if she said she isn't thrilled about it, though, and honestly wishes that they could spend the day alone ━ or maybe she doesn’t; if they end up alone, who knows what will happen because they're both ready to do something completely━ 

“Alison,” Spencer walks down the back steps, smiling at the blonde, “I’m glad you could make it.”

Toby stands next to Spencer, constantly eyeing both Emily and Alison with a smirk that the tanned girl could kill him for. 

“I would’ve been here earlier but work was obnoxious,” she goes wide-eyed. “I didn’t even want to leave my bed this morning.” 

Emily tries not to smile, she really does, but her lips curve into a soft grin as she forcefully looks down while crossing her arms.

“Funny, Em said the same thing,” Toby comments with a growing smirk when he sees the brunette's smile, ultimately being glared at.

“Hey,” Spencer changes the topic and, quite frankly, Emily wants to hug her, “do you guys want to come back later to hang out? We can cook on the grill and maybe have a fire.”

The two girls turn to each other and share a look.

“Sounds fun,” Alison comments and Emily nods, though she isn’t all that prepared since Toby is already getting on her nerves with all these emphatic smirks and teasing comments.

“We’ll just have to clean up once the kids leave,” Spencer sighs. “After that, we’ll head out to get some stuff to grill and you’re free to come back whenever.”

“Do you want us to stay and help pick up?” the blonde raises an eyebrow.

“No, it’s okay,” the girl shakes her head. “Melissa will probably stay for a bit longer to help and do whatever else.”

Alison nods, “Remind me to stay away from her.”

They all laugh at the blonde’s underlying seriousness.

“She’s not as bitchy as she used to be, Ali, I promise,” Spencer gets out.

“Yeah, she  _ can’t  _ be, nowadays,” Toby adds. “She’s a counselor.”

“Counselor of  _ what _ ?” the blonde raises her eyebrows and Emily snorts at the expression.

“A guidance counselor,” comes Spencer’s explanation. “It’s actually mellowed her out a bit. Even after the divorce…” her voice trails off and Alison nods when her silent questions regarding Melissa’s marital status are answered.

“Well, it’s good she has something to keep her grounded,” her blue eyes unintentionally dart to the girl standing next to her and Spencer catches it, smiling at Alison who seals her lips because, as far as she knows, neither Emily nor Toby saw.

Spencer makes a face, “Are you guys still going to the thing for CeCe’s job on Friday?” 

“Mhm,” Emily nods without hesitation. “We have to dress up, right?” 

“Unfortunately,” Toby drawls.

“You look great in a suit, stop it,” his girlfriend scolds with a smile and Emily clears her throat when they get lost in a batch of lovable gazes, being glared at by Toby whose features turn smug again.

“You’re just as whipped, Em,” the man comments and she freezes, turning away from Alison who giggles.

“I am not━” she tries but Alison gets out a short and disagreeing “Mm.”

Emily stares at the blonde with a disbelieving, open mouth, being faced by a challenging expression.

“What about Hanna and Mona? Are they coming Friday night?” Spencer interrupts.

“Mhm,” Alison confirms with an exaggerated hum, having recently asked both girls about the get-together. “Mike can’t make it, though. Mona’s not a happy camper.”

“I bet,” comes Spencer’s response. “Is she planning on being Hanna’s date?” she chuckles.

“Hanna will probably force her to be,” Alison makes a face.

“Do you know what you’re wearing yet?” again, Spencer directs the question at Alison and, next to the blonde, Emily waits for the answer because she’s pretty damn curious, herself.

Toby snickers at Emily’s face and, God, he’s so lucky there’s a group of kids nearby or else she’d shove him into the pool.

“It’s a surprise,” Alison answers with a coy tone, knowing full well that the brunette next to her is listening completely.

“Hm,” Spencer offers the reaction, eyes bouncing back and forth between Alison and Emily. 

Before anyone can speak again, Emily is being nearly knocked over by Lucy who grabs onto her leg with a fit of laughter. The brunette looks down and chuckles, especially because she can’t escape the vice grip on her leg, so she drags Lucy away as the three others watch the altercation. Alison smiles at the entire thing, automatically rolling her eyes once she realizes that she’s being stared at by Spencer and Toby who wear knowing expressions.

“So,” the blonde clears her throat, “what’s the deal with Emily and Lucy? How’d they get so close?” 

Spencer squints with reminiscent features, “You know, I think it was Em’s timing, above anything else. When Melissa’s divorce became messy, I had to watch Lucy pretty often. One time, Emily stopped by and they hit it off, hours later. Before that, Lucy was super shy and didn’t really want to talk to anyone,” she nods, more so to herself because she remembers when she’d spend hours trying to get the little girl to talk about  _ anything  _ yet she’d never succeed. 

She continues, “I don’t know what it was, exactly, but Em and I were sitting with Lucy while watching some Disney movie and they randomly started having their own, side conversation. That’s probably one of the first times after everything went down that I heard Lucy laugh.”

“You seem surprised,” Alison tilts her head with partially narrowed eyes, getting a head nod from Spencer because, yeah, she is.

“I find it interesting, honestly. You know Em. She’s… not the most talkative when it comes to strangers,” Spencer shrugs, “but, when she cares for someone, it’s like she comes out of her shell. I really wasn’t expecting her to be best buddies with Lucy because, well, Lucy’s just a kid, you know? If she ignored Em, I thought Emily would give up trying. Not to say she’s a quitter because, believe me, she’s one of the most head-strong people I know, but…”

“And Lucy ignored her, at first?”

“Oh yeah,” her eyes go wide. “When Emily first walked in, I’m surprised Lucy didn’t try hiding in the cabinet. Emily said a few words to her and Lucy just stared back. I apologized at the time because I felt bad, but I think Emily understood that she wasn’t in the best mindset since she was used to a lot of yelling at her house and no one ever took the time to sit down with her.”

“Melissa’s divorce was  _ that  _ bad?” Alison frowns, feeling a tinge of empathy for Spencer’s sister.

Spencer nods with a sigh, “He doesn’t even have visitation rights.”

“Damn,” she whispers.

“But yeah. After that day, Lucy kept asking where Emily was and when she’d see her again. That’s when I asked Toby if we could use his house whenever I had to babysit because, well, Em’s always right next door.”

Alison chuckles. 

“Emily’s basically Lucy’s second aunt,” Toby adds. “She’s fine with Aria, too, but not as much as she is with Em.”

“That’s cute,” the blonde feels herself smiling.

“And it looks like Lucy’s taken a liking to you too,” Spencer bumps Alison’s shoulder, having watched the little girl smile big at the blonde when she first arrived.

“Yeah, that’s only because of what Em’s told her,” Alison watches Emily and Lucy play at the other end of the yard, completely ignoring all the other kids at the party.

“Well, obviously she told her  _ good  _ things about you,” again, Spencer smirks.

Alison hums in agreement.

“How are things going between you two?” now, the brunette sounds curious and maybe a bit smug.

At first, Alison has no idea how to answer because it’s not like she wants to give away too much, “scandalous” information, especially since she hasn’t really spoken to Emily today aside from this morning, through texts, and minutes ago. On the other hand, she can’t hold herself back from smiling hard and Spencer laughs at the blatant happiness because, almost immediately after, Alison forcefully sealed her lips and tried to stop herself from blushing. Toby won’t let it go, however, and smiles heavily while Spencer elbows him in the side.

“I take it things are good,” Spencer narrows her eyes at Alison.

“Maybe even  _ great _ ,” Toby pries.

Alison shakes her head with a constant smile, “Yeah, I won’t deny that I’m happy.”

“Well, I think that’s perfect,” Spencer’s voice is genuine and she faces Alison. “Em seems just as happy.”

“Does she?” the blonde begins to feel shy about everything and maybe a bit unsure.

“Are you kidding me?” again, Toby intervenes. “She’s at least ten times happier than before. Four days into your little competition and she was already a mess because she had no idea what she was━”

Spencer clears her throat to get him to stop talking, not wanting her boyfriend to spill any details because it’s not his spot to say anything.

“All I’m saying is that she’s deeper than it seems,” he finishes.

“That makes two of us,” she mumbles, earning a snicker from Spencer.

“As long as I don’t need to pay Hanna and Mona a  _ cent _ , I’m fine,” the brunette comments.

“I still can’t believe you guys bet on our marriage,” Alison shakes her head.

“I’m pretty sure they only proposed the idea because they knew you two wouldn’t split.”

“Who says we won’t split?”

“Do you want to?” Spencer’s face is now more-serious, genuinely asking Alison who purses her lips and looks at the ground.

The question takes her by surprise, though it probably shouldn’t. A big part of her knows what she wants ━ to take a chance with Emily ━ but in what way? It’s not like they’ve even discussed the possibility of  _ dating _ , and marriage is far beyond that. Their “relationship” has gone so ass-backwards since they’ve re-met: first, they were at-odds, and, next, they were married ━ semi-unknowingly. How does one possibly propose the idea of testing what a real marriage is like when they haven’t exactly dated their “spouse” prior to the largest commitment of all? On the other hand, why on Earth would they split up their marriage  _ just  _ to be a real, dating couple? Then again, Alison still has no idea what Emily wants, in the first place, so, again, she glances downwards at her feet as she shifts, arms crossed before she gives the couple in front of her an answer.

She finally breathes out and whispers, “Not really.”

Before either Toby or Spencer can formulate a response, Alison points at both of them.

“You better not tell Em,” she warns.

“Tell Em what?” said brunette approaches with narrowed eyes and a grin when Alison turns around and forces her own, beaming smile. 

“About my outfit for Friday,” she comes up with a lie within milliseconds.

Emily only partly believes it but doesn’t question the girl standing in front of her. Instead, her eyes stare into Alison’s, almost like she’s trying to read the girl who, soon, catches her own gaze floating downwards before she turns around to Toby and Spencer like previously. 

She doesn’t get any words out, however, before a group of kids are whining nearby because they don’t want to leave the party. Nevertheless, their parents say their goodbyes to Lucy and Melissa who stand together, thanking everyone for coming. Once that group leaves, only a few other kids are left and the four standing toward the side of the fence watch Lucy ran back over to her remaining friends. Melissa, on the other hand, begins walking in the direction of Spencer and the others, flashing them a smile.

“Thanks again for letting me use your house for this,” she initially faces Toby, afterwards turning to Emily and noticing the nervous blonde standing next to her.

Everyone waits for something that doesn’t really come until a solid seven seconds later, eyes bouncing back and forth like some type of silent showdown.

“Alison,” Melissa’s voice is somewhat surprised yet mannered, flashing an abrupt smile as Alison stands there awkwardly. “Um, how’ve you been?”

“I’ve been… decent,” the blonde cautiously nods. “How have you been?”

“Good. I’ve been good,” she answers and everyone sort of… lingers. “How’s your brother?”

“Oh, he’s fine,” Alison makes polite conversation. “Still living in Rosewood so I’m not sure  _ how  _ fine, but…” her voice trails off with a laugh.

“Can’t get away from that town, huh?” Melissa chuckles and raises her eyebrows. “I’m sure it’s still the same.”

“ _ Definitely _ the same,” Spencer looks at her sister. “Mom and Dad are still their usual, boring selves. Rosewood never changes and neither do the people who settle there.”

Melissa tilts her head, “True, but I'm pretty sure they’re only naturally boring.”

Spencer snickers, agreeing.

“Mommy, mommy, mommy,” Lucy all but sprints over to Melissa, hugging her leg because apparently that’s her new thing.

“Yes, yes, yes?”

“Hi,” she smiles and buries her face into her mother’s pant leg.

“Are you enjoying your party?”

“Yeah,” the little girl backs up, looking tired.

Lucy glances between Alison and the brunette standing next to her, soon tugging on Melissa’s hand so she bends down like she had done to Emily before.

“Did you know that Emily got married?” she giggles and Melissa tilts her head to the side with an amused “What?”

“To Ali,” the little girl points to the blonde for a second, smiling heavily because she sees Emily playfully glaring at her.

“ _ Really _ ?” Melissa’s tone is surprised yet a bit smug, standing up and looking between the two with an interested grin.

Emily stares at Lucy with narrowed eyes, “What was I  _ just  _ telling you about secrets?”

“Ali’s not a secret,” Lucy smiles proudly, almost like she’s outsmarted the brunette who, internally, flashes back to her small argument with Alison once her parents left.

With a light and admitting “You win,” Emily keeps watching Lucy who gets brought to the other side of the yard by Melissa when she sees the little girl’s remaining party guests getting ready to leave with their parents.

Alison smiles at Emily who actually looks at her with ease, trying her best to keep her eyes level because Spencer and Toby are constantly watching them like hawks with those stupid, annoying smirks on their faces. The brunette clears her throat and turns away from the girl standing next to her, both smiling like idiots because that’s all they’ve been able to do as of late and it’s so,  _ so  _ different-feeling.

On the inside, Emily thinks about her relationship with Alison and, ultimately, what compelled her to tell Lucy about their marriage. She didn't share the full story, no, but maybe it wouldn't matter if she had, anyway; Lucy has always been good at detecting hidden feelings, no matter what her age is. Emily supposes that it’s the tone of voice she uses when she talks to Lucy, or perhaps it's simply because she's not the best at hiding her feelings. Either way, when Toby jokingly hinted at her being with someone after Lucy had not-so-subtly asked if she’s lonely (stemming from the little girl’s prior knowledge of the brunette living alone), Emily playfully confessed to being married, earning a sudden  _ “What?!”  _ from the child. At the reaction, Emily laughed but felt herself wanting to actually confide in someone who would never judge her, resulting in her waiting for Toby to leave before carefully admitting that, yeah, she has a wife. After, however, she felt her throat tighten up, not knowing how Alison would feel if she found out that she told Lucy ━ which, if you asked her, ended up better than expected, though it still makes her nervous because she knows Alison is thinking about it.

“I’m never telling that little girl anything  _ ever again _ ,” Emily suddenly crosses her arms with a chuckle, rolling her eyes.

“Em, you’ve known her for long enough,” Spencer deadpans. “You should know by now that she has Melissa’s big mouth.”

“I think you should tell her things more often,” Alison disagrees with a light tone, looking at Emily while Toby snickers at the brunette’s nervous expression.

“Shut up,” Emily throws at Toby with a warning look.

He holds his hands up, “I can’t help it if I’m entertained by the fact that you’re so targeted all the time.”

“You’re the one who usually targets me,” the brunette’s eyes go wide. 

“That’s why I find it so funny when other people do it,” he snorts. “Especially little kids.”

All three of them laugh and Emily looks at Alison who seals her lips instantly, showing an apologetic expression that also says “it’s pretty damn cute, though.” The brunette exaggeratedly breathes out and rolls her eyes, not liking the feeling of being put on the spot by everyone. It’s weird, however, because she’s not used to Alison being  _ this  _ open about whatever they are ━ even as a  _ joke _ . Back in high school, the blonde would have denied anything and everything once Emily’s name was even remotely mentioned. Now, she’s practically inviting the topic into their group of four as they remain standing in the backyard. In the end, Emily doesn’t know if she’s happy about this turn of events or if she should be nervous that everyone will be teasing her later on ━ and it’ll likely be the second scenario. 

As Lucy’s last friend leaves, Melissa nods to Spencer to let the girl know they’ll be inside cleaning up. Spencer hums in response, afterwards turning to Emily and Alison while Toby is already walking toward the back door.

“Are you sure you don’t need more help cleaning up?” Alison asks Spencer with a skeptical tone once she sees the aftermath of the party scattered around the grass and back porch.

Spencer chuckles, “We’ll be fine. We went for like…  _ everything  _ easily disposable so it’ll be done pretty quickly.”

The blonde nods, “Let us know if you change your mind.”

“Mhm,” Spencer gives her a smile, “once we’re done, we’ll go get some stuff to throw on the grill for tonight and I’ll text you,” she looks at Emily.

“Alright,” the other brunette clears her throat. “Sounds like a plan.”

She looks at Alison who nods in agreement, both staring back at Spencer who smiles and turns around to walk toward the back door. Emily begins to move over to the side gate so they can cross into their yard, being followed by Alison who unintentionally (maybe) finds herself checking out the brunette. She looks away quickly, however, because it’s getting more and more difficult to keep herself under control when doing not-so-subtle things. With a sigh, she continues to follow the other girl back to their house so they can relax before getting ready for the night ahead.

 

X X X

 

Emily, Alison, Toby, and Spencer sit around a crackling fire. It’s late and the stars are fully overhead, only being visible in the center of the yard since the perimeter is lined with trees and Toby’s house towers nearby. They make light conversation every now and then, but, for the most part, Emily and Alison have been moderately quiet ever since this afternoon because they’re both so caught up in their thoughts and feelings.

While they were making their way back home, Emily stopped suddenly, almost being walked into by Alison who was only a couple of steps behind.

_ “I’m sorry,” the brunette giggles because she nearly tripped the other girl. “I just realized that I should probably say goodbye to Lucy or else she’ll━” _

_ “Tell me more secrets?” Alison smirks. “Go ahead,” she backs up so Emily can pass. _

_ “Aren’t you coming?” Emily quirks an eyebrow as she walks by Alison. “She’ll probably tackle me if I don’t bring ‘Aunt Ali’ to say goodbye,” she quotes.   _

_ “Is she really calling me that?” Alison smiles hard, tilting her head to look at Emily who rolls her eyes with a dopey yet shy grin. _

_ “Yes, she is,” Emily laughs. “I’m sorry,” her expression is sheepish, not knowing whether or not Alison━  _

_ “Don’t be,” the blonde’s smile turns equally as shy and her voice is quiet. “I like it.” _

Of course, they said their goodbyes quickly and Lucy (reluctantly) allowed them to leave soon after ━ once she teased Emily about her wife a few more times. Melissa even joined in at one point, raising an eyebrow at Emily,  _ “I knew there was something… livelier… about you today.”  _ The brunette, at the time, shot pointed looks at everyone in the kitchen ━ aside from Alison who she tried her best to face away from until she decided to throw out a pouty  _ “I can’t wait until Hanna and Mona are around so they can make fun of you.”  _ The blonde, in response, stopped giggling and sealed her lips while looking away because, fuck, she has a point.

Soon after, the two headed back home to relax for a bit, hoping to keep their minds busy in separate rooms. That didn’t work, not so surprisingly, because they came face to face in the kitchen within two hours of getting home.

_ “What have you been up to?” Emily sips a bottle of water as Alison leans against the center island. _

_ “Mm, I took a short nap,” she laughs because, once her body hit the mattress, she felt drained and can’t remember anything after that. _

_ The brunette nods. _

_ “I would’ve asked if you’d like to join, but I didn’t really know I’d be taking a nap,” another laugh passes her lips, albeit it’s to cover up her nervousness, and Emily mirrors the reaction. _

_ “It’s fine. I’ll just claim your bed tonight,” she challenges. _

_ “I’m not going to give it up easily,” Alison plays along. _

_ “You don’t have to,” Emily’s eyes flicker downwards. _

_ Alison feels her mouth open and close once, not being able to come up with a rebuttal for the brunette who smirks hard. Suddenly, her mouth feels dry and she walks away from where she stood across from Emily, rounding the center island so she can rummage through the fridge and find something to drink. The brunette lingers only feet away, still smirking as she sips her water because she feels as though she’s won. _

_ When she’s finished with her half-full water bottle for the time being, she walks over to the fridge to slide it into the cold space while Alison searches its contents. Right when Emily reaches past the girl, however, Alison goes to turn around and, suddenly, they’re less than eight inches apart and it feels like the air has been sucked out of their lungs. Emily swallows hard as she looks Alison up and down, feeling preyed upon because now the blonde is tilting her head to the side with a smirk since the girl appears as though her former “power” has faded away.  _

_ Emily clears her throat with a quiet “Sorry” and fully reaches around the girl, successfully shoving her water bottle back into the fridge before standing up until they’re in the same position as before. Alison decides to toy with the girl in front of her a little longer, taking a small step forward and smiling as she looks at Emily with an expression that taunts “not so confident now, huh?”  _

_ The brunette’s lips part and she tries to focus elsewhere, eyes darting around the kitchen behind Alison because it’s getting even harder to breathe once the blonde emphatically rubs her lips together.  _

_ Finally, when Alison feels like she’s made her point and gained the upper hand, she leans close and whispers, “Remember, I always win,” before licking her lips, smiling, and backing up until she leaves the kitchen with the drink she had pulled from the fridge.  _

On the inside, Alison was shaking the entire time. Really, she could’ve collapsed if she wasn’t too damn determined to cloud Emily’s thoughts. At the same time, however, she felt… electric; all she wanted to do was to lean in further and connect their lips but, in her mind, it would’ve been pretty fucking random even though they’ve been getting closer and closer with every conversation that gets thrown between them. Everything is flirtatious lately. Their words, their body language, texts, and even the looks they give one another. It’s satisfying, they both think, but a bit terrifying because it’s much different from when they were younger. Now, they’re older and know what they want, but there’s still the underlying “what if?” when it comes to whether or not things will work out; yeah, they’re legally bound together, but that doesn’t mean much if they’re not mentally connected.

Around six o’clock, Emily pushed her phone into her back pocket and wandered through the hallway until she ended up at Alison’s door, simply wanting to see the blonde who had disappeared from the kitchen a bit prior. She stopped behind the cracked-open barrier once she heard the blonde on the phone with someone only feet into the room, listening to the girl say things such as  _ “No, we haven’t”  _ and  _ “I don’t know what’s going on.”  _ Overall, it sounded conflicted and maybe a tad stressed, but Alison ended up chuckling at multiple things said through the speaker and Emily smiled at the sound ━ that is, until the girl suddenly said her goodbyes and hung up, only to swiftly open the door and come face to face with a wide-eyed Emily.

_ “Were you eavesdropping, Emily Fields?” Alison’s features are amused as the brunette tries to act like she was doing anything but what she’s being accused of, leaning against the door’s frame. _

_ “No,” she says while harshly shaking her head, her voice forcibly deep, “no, I wasn’t.” _

_ “I think you were,” the blonde tries, taking a step closer with a growing smirk. _

_ “I wasn’t…” the words die in her throat as Alison approaches further. “Okay, I was coming to check on you, but then I heard you on the phone and I…” _

_ “And you just stuck around to listen?” she teases. _

_ “I’m sorry,” Emily bows her head with a tiny smile, afterwards sealing her lips. _

_ “Don’t worry about it,” Alison matches the smile with a coy tone. “It’s not like I was talking about anything interesting… or involving you.” _

_ “What?” now, the brunette tilts her head with narrowed eyes and an interested expression. _

_ “Hm?”  _

_ “What were you talking about?” _

_ Alison emphatically shrugs and Emily studies her face. _

_ The blonde suddenly hums, “You haven’t heard from Spencer?” _

_ “No, not yet.” _

_ “But you were coming here to… check on me?” a grin tugs at her lips, finding it cute. _

_ “Yes…” Emily admits with a shy look, leaning further against the wall as Alison shuffles closer, though the girl in front of her doesn’t notice until they’re only five inches away. _

_ “Is that the real reason?” Alison questions while her eyes bounce back and forth between the girl’s struggling line of sight and mouth. _

_ “I… wanted to see you,” she confesses, pausing briefly because now she notices the even-closer proximity and her breathing seems to be slowing down. _

_ “So, you missed me?” Alison absentmindedly licks her lips, feeling herself being pulled toward the girl who, similarly, leans in a fraction. _

_ “Mhm,” is the only thing she’s able to get out, slowly trying to erase the last, three inches between them. _

_ Alison can’t respond. Actually, she doesn’t want to ━ not with words, at least ━ so she waits to feel Emily’s nose brush against hers but, before they can close the gap between them, the brunette’s phone annoyingly chimes with an abrupt notification from Spencer. The girls’ lidded eyes open at the sound and, before they know it, more distance is put between them as they awkwardly stand around. _

After that, the two stuttered out some nervous, out-of-place phrases such as  _ “We should probably, um, go over there”  _ and  _ “Yeah, you’re right”  _ with stiff body language. They both took the time to breathe out, however, when Alison lingered behind in her room for another moment while Emily sauntered into the kitchen. They (thankfully) gathered their bearings within minutes and made their way over to Toby’s house while walking close together, most of the awkward atmosphere leaving ━ though both girls, admittedly, wished that they were able to successfully connect their lips for the first time in however long. 

Once they got situated next door, Emily and Toby grilled food while Alison and Spencer stood around in the kitchen to prepare drinks, separated by thick doors so neither pair could hear the other.

_ “So,” Spencer starts with an already-forming smile, “I know you said you’re happy, but… about what, in particular?”  _

_ Alison goes to answer but hesitates, not fully knowing how to explain everything that’s going on inside her head. She wants to confide in Spencer, truly, but it’s difficult because she’s never been the best with her words ━ and who knows if the brunette will judge her for what she says since, well, their relationship is recently reforming and, prior to that, it wasn’t the strongest.  _

_ “Everything, I guess,” Alison takes a deep breath. “It’s weird. I didn’t think I’d be this happy… ever. I thought I’d…” her voice trails off, “I don’t know. Maybe I’d survive and go through life with little to no satisfaction because I didn’t have the healthiest mental lifestyle before I went on vacation.” _

_ Spencer tilts her head to the side as she listens, looking at Alison who stares at the kitchen counter. _

_ She continues, “Now, I feel like I’m a new person. I get to wake up in the morning to the smell of coffee from the kitchen and I walk into the room to see a barely awake Emily standing next to the sink because she’s still trying to break out of her sleepy state.” _

_ They both laugh at the image. _

_ “The small things have been keeping me afloat,” Alison nods, more so to herself. “I didn't have that before.” _

_ “What about Em? Has she been a big factor in your happiness?” _

_ The blonde lets out a shaky breath, “More than I can explain. More than I know, even. I think, when we first started getting onto the same page, she was my source of protection more than anything. I admired the fact that she’d go out of her way to keep me safe. After…” her voice trails off again and a nervous smile covers her mouth, “I felt myself growing attached to her again. I wanted to make her happy and, in the process, I think I made myself happy.” _

_ Spencer waits a moment before responding, “I have a question, and feel free to ignore it, but I’m curious.” _

_ Alison looks at her. _

_ “God, Hanna and Mona are going to kill me,” she mutters before making eye contact with Alison. “I noticed that you said ‘again,’ just now. Almost as if you’ve liked Emily previously…” _

_ The blonde purses her lips and glances downward. _

_ “I don’t want to put you on the spot, Alison, but I’m wondering because I remember Hanna and Mona saying that a girl caught your attention before and they kind of hinted that there’s something between you and Em,” Spencer explains. “We all know that you two… kissed… in the past, but…” she somewhat evades the blonde’s eyes before continuing, “Emily’s high school crush wasn’t a one-way street, was it?” _

_ Alison rubs her hands together and breathes out, feeling impressed at Spencer’s memory and ability to piece everything together ━ not to say that it makes her any less nervous because she very rarely admits things. _

_ “I always thought that I liked the attention she gave me,” the blonde begins. “That’s how I excused it. I thought, ‘Sure, butterflies in your stomach are common. It doesn’t mean you like someone.’ When we kissed, I don’t know. I panicked, and… that’s the excuse I gave myself and everyone else. A part of me knew I was lying, but I just… let myself believe it.” _

_ “Do you regret letting yourself believe it?”  _

_ “I regret letting myself believe it so much that I completely plowed over Em’s feelings. That’s the one thing I wish I could take back.” _

_ Spencer attentively nods, “Yeah, but at least she seems willing to move forward.” _

_ When Alison bites her bottom lip with blushing cheeks, the brunette pries, “And you seem pretty willing, as well.” _

_ The blonde swallows hard and takes a very deep breath, almost like she’s psyching herself up for something before softly confessing, “I think I love her.” _

While Spencer and Alison remained inside, Toby and Emily stood near the grill, obviously talking about the brunette’s feelings ━ albeit it was against her will.

_ “You two seem to be getting along,” Toby comments with a smile, poking at the sizzling steaks. _

_ “We are,” Emily admits with a nod, leaning against the deck’s railing. “It’s nice.” _

_ “Just ‘nice’?” he raises his eyebrows at the word. _

_ “Don’t start,” the brunette warns with a chuckle. _

_ “I just think it’s an inaccurate word.” _

_ “What’s an accurate word, then?” Emily asks even though she knows she’ll probably regret it. _

_ “Satisfying,” he makes a debating face. “Maybe that’s an understatement, too.” _

_ She doesn’t even try denying it because, honestly, he’s right. In response, she smiles. _

_ “See?” Toby looks at her for a split second. “I knew I was onto something.” _

_ “Yeah, I don’t know,” Emily backtracks. “I have no idea what’s going on.” _

_ “Well, what has been going? Like… at home.” _

_ The brunette takes a deep breath, “We’re closer. That’s the only word I can use to describe it.” _

_ When he stays silent while waiting for more, Emily thinks before she continues. _

_ “I like her,” she comes out with suddenly, earning a pair of wide eyes and a smile from Toby. “A lot, actually. Like… God, it’s gotten so, so bad recently and I keep wanting to be near her, and hear her voice, and…” nerves consume the rest of the sentence and she swallows hard, looking like she’s about to panic. _

_ “Breathe, Em,” Toby laughs and Emily does as she’s told, taking a large inhale and exhaling a moment later. _

_ “Are you sure that’s the right ‘l’ word?” he smirks. _

_ She purses her lips and turns away because, no, she’s not sure ━ actually, she’s sure that “like” is an understatement but this entire “feelings” thing is new to her since she’s been back and forth with girls for a while now, so she doesn’t know if there’s a correct time for when she should allow herself to travel into the “do I love her?” territory ━ especially considering that they haven’t even kissed since Vegas, and those were anything but genuine. They haven’t spoken about anything, either. Heck, she has no idea how Alison feels. _

_ “Have you told her?” Toby decides against pushing the other girl into admitting anything further. _

_ “Ha, no,” Emily lets out a dull laugh like the underlying suggestion is ridiculous. _

_ “Are you going to?” _

_ No response. _

_ “Emily, you can’t expect her to read your mind,” he makes a face and opens the grill again, moving around the steaks that are nearly done. _

_ “Why not? She’s pretty good at it,” Emily rolls her eyes with a soft smile. _

_ “Because I know Alison, or… well, I used to know an Alison who didn’t like to be kept waiting,” comes Toby’s next piece of advice. “I’d advise you not to see if that girl still exists within your wife.” _

_ “Must you constantly bring up our marriage?” she gives him a pointed look. _

_ “Lucy does it. Why can’t I?”  _

_ “She’s six!”  _

_ “But she probably has a higher IQ score than Spencer and Melissa combined,” he fights back. “I’m just saying… double standards, Em. They’re not good.” _

Toby clears his throat from where he sits across from Emily, peeking through the fire as the brunette finally snaps out of her trance. She’s been staring at the flames between them for minutes now, mirrored by Alison who does the same. Spencer and Toby, on the other hand, have been talking about Friday night’s plans and how CeCe’s nerves have skyrocketed lately.

“So, is it Alison…” Toby starts before squinting one eye, “ _ Fields _ ? DiLaurentis-Fields? Or… Emily DiLaurentis? Something totally different that I’m not…” his voice trails off when he sees the tanned girl’s recently acquired glare.

Emily looks at him with a practically murderous expression, earning a tight-lipped smile from Alison who can almost feel the brunette radiating heat ━ unless it’s the fire. Truly, he raises a valid question and Alison, herself, wonders if she’s supposed to be using Emily’s name or if it matters, in the first place. It’s not like she can simply start using it, she internally rolls her eyes; she remembers that there’s still a bunch of paperwork they need to sign, including her I.D. and everything else important ━ well, if Emily even wants to stay together and share a last name, her eyes widen when she realizes that she’s so far deep in this…  _ whatever-it-is _ . 

“I don’t know,” Alison’s voice is quiet before she chews her bottom lip in thought. 

She looks in Emily’s direction almost like she’s asking the brunette for an answer. Emily, in response, feels her heart skip a beat at the indirect question because,  _ admittedly _ , she absolutely loves the thought of Alison sharing her last name. Truly, she’d imagine that they need to sign more papers and, now that Alison’s working, it may be more difficult to━ 

“Well, does it say anything on the marriage certificate?” Spencer wonders aloud.

“No, I don't think…” she makes a face. “I… don’t remember,” the blonde narrows her eyes while thinking. “I wish I did. I’d have to look.” 

Emily turns her head to glance at Alison, her voice tiny, “You still have it?”

“Of course,” she breathes out through a small laugh. “Why wouldn’t I?”

The brunette can’t come up with an answer so, instead, she only shrugs one shoulder and sinks further into the lawn chair, being eyed by Toby who gives her a smile that says “stop second-guessing everything.”

“What do you think?” Alison suddenly tilts her head with a smile as she looks at Emily, her cheeks rosy because the fire’s been on their faces for so long now. “If you could decide my last name, what would it be?” she intentionally puts an underlying wonder beneath the surface of the spoken question, automatically being detected by Emily who seems to swallow harder than usual, locking eyes with her as sparks dance nearby.

The brunette continuously stares at her with curious eyes, discovering the “trick” question and hoping that Alison doesn’t mistakenly take her silence as a bad sign; truly, she simply can’t come up with a decent answer on the spot, though she desperately wants to because it’s starting to feel like it’s now or never. Additionally, something inside Emily tells her to test the waters and say “Fields,” but she also wants to keep her mouth shut because, if she announces her thoughts, who knows how Alison will react ━ though she’s been putting the brunette on the spot for days now. In the end, Emily cutely grins and replies, “Whatever you’d want it to be,” while her eyes remain locked on Alison’s, an unspoken yet understood conversation flowing between them as Spencer and Toby watch from the other side of the fire.

The blonde ends up smirking at the answer, but it’s not a cunning expression; she’s caught off-guard by the statement but it makes her heart flutter because Emily basically bounced the decision to her. Internally, she knew that the brunette wouldn’t answer straight-up but she wouldn’t have it any other way, at this point; it’s become a fun game and she likes it.

“I, for one, think all last name choices sound perfect,” Spencer raises the almost-empty beer bottle to her lips with a devious grin, looking between the two because, now that she knows how Alison truly feels after their extensive heart-to-heart, she feels confident enough to get them together ━  _ for real _ . 

Alison rubs her lips together and looks away, feeling shy because now she’s being dragged down with the teasing.

Thirty seconds pass before Emily yawns while attempting to hide it, only to earn a giggle from Alison who leans over with a muttered “Tired?” 

The brunette nods.

“Want to go home?” 

After a moment of hesitation, Emily nods again and pushes herself off the lawn chair. Alison follows suit, doing the same as Toby and Spencer turn to their guests.

“Heading back?” Spencer asks with knowing and equally exhausted features.

“Yeah, I’m tired,” Emily offers a regretful face.

“Me too,” the other brunette gets out with a tiny laugh. “I could’ve fallen asleep hours ago.”

“You and me both,” Toby rubs his eye. “Your niece is a lot of work.”

“Toby, you gave her a present and pointed her to the cupcakes,” Spencer looks at her boyfriend, being given a shrug in response.

“We can’t all be Auntie Em’s and Aunt Ali’s,” he smirks while looking at the girls standing nearby, getting an eye-roll from the brunette who’s too tired to fight back.

“We’ll see you Friday,” Spencer nods toward the two before they exchange their goodbyes.

Emily opens the small gate for Alison, hearing a soft “Thank you” come from the blonde who, afterwards, waits for the other girl to catch up. When she does, Alison begins to walk again but reaches back to grab Emily’s hand, partially intertwining their fingers as she tries to focus on where she’s going because, now that they’re standing up, she feels ten times more tired. Once Emily feels her hand in Alison’s, she looks down and smiles, enjoying the small gesture because she’s wanted the blonde to draw patterns on her skin all night.

They make their way to the back door and Alison slides the glass pane open. Once they’re standing in the dark kitchen, Emily locks the door and shuts the lone curtain, soon turning around to see Alison waiting at the beginning of the hallway, just in front of her bedroom door. The brunette flashes her a timid smile, not knowing what to do because she wants to sleep in Alison’s bed again, but━

“Do you want to…” the blonde gestures behind her, silently asking if Emily wants to spend the night in her room again.

“If you’d like that,” comes the quiet response, both girls standing awkwardly at opposite ends of the kitchen.

Alison nods without hesitation, looking Emily up and down before opening her bedroom door. The brunette walks over to the doorway and pauses.

“I’m going to get changed first, okay?” 

“Mhm,” Alison hums and smiles. “I’ll be here.”

Emily backs away from the door and makes her way over to the stairs, automatically ascending the steps while her body feels like it’s on autopilot. The entire house is quiet aside from the sound of the final, creaking steps, and the brunette takes a deep breath as she enters her room. It’s pretty bright since the moon hovers straight across from her window so the moonlight seeps onto her bed throughout each night ━ something she’d come to love when she first bought the place. She starts to wonder whether or not she should’ve proposed the idea of them sleeping in her bed, instead, but she’s too tired to change the plan, as of now. Besides, there’s always the future, a tiny grin appears on her face while thinking about the idea of them together ━ in any and every way. 

Quickly, to distract her thoughts, she throws on a new t-shirt and shorts, opting not to go with long pants because she’s feeling pretty warm already and, if she’s going to be sleeping with Alison, she knows the girl’s body heat will keep her at a suitable temperature ━ A.K.A. another thing that kept her beyond content, last night. Sighing, Emily looks around the room to make sure she doesn’t need anything else. Her hand grabs for her phone fifteen seconds later, having set it down while changing prior, and she walks back downstairs at a slow but steady rate. 

Checking the front door to make sure it’s locked, she shakes her head and attempts to focus because, currently, she feels like she’s sleepwalking. Without wasting any more time because, quite frankly, she’ll end up passing out in the hallway if she doesn’t start moving, her feet take her into Alison’s room where the blonde is already mostly tucked in, though a majority of her torso is exposed by the tank top she’s put on. As she lies there, her eyes are closed and, for a moment, Emily wonders if the girl is already asleep and if she should bother crawling under the covers with her because she doesn’t want to create any type of disruption.

She forces herself to follow through, in the end, and slides into the blonde’s bed before completely draping the covers over her body. Emily nearly sighs when she feels her back hit the mattress, already starting to fall into a heavy sleep. Before she can give into her dreams, Alison pushes her body more toward the brunette’s until Emily’s arm is around her like the night before. Unlike last night, however, Emily relaxes instantly and doesn’t wonder what’s going on, completely paying no attention to the fact that the blonde’s shorts are so short that they could be considered underwear. Normally, she’d react to the lack of clothing with a nervous demeanor, but, as her fingertips drag along Alison’s bare arm, everything feels overall innocent and the girl’s skin is so soft that she simply… breathes out with a smile.

In simple terms, she feels like Alison is  _ meant  _ to be in her arms and, within the following second, she pulls the girl even closer while tilting to the side so her cheek is resting against the blonde’s head. After a tired, internal debate, she gives into her eager thoughts and presses a kiss to Alison’s forehead before hearing a tiny, sleepy laugh, afterwards feeling the girl nuzzle further against her body until they both fall into a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty-right, there's a lot here. Where shall we start?
> 
> We'll begin with Lucy: I know her scene within this chapter wasn't all that big (and she'll only make one more appearance in the fic, via flashback), but she brought a lot to the table, whether or not you're able to see it on the surface. For starters, Lucy's line "Ali's not a secret" is so simple but I can't begin to explain how important it was for Emily to hear that. Quite frankly, Emily trusts Lucy a lot for a young kid, leading Emily to confess to her that she's married. That, in itself, is a big step for Emily because she hadn't happily/willingly told anyone (before this chapter) that she's married (aside from the morning after it happened). So… what? I'm thinking that this means Emily low-key (or high-key?) enjoys this marriage thing ━ oh, and that she may love Alison which, I mean, we already knew, but━ And then we have Alison who actually said the words "I think I love her" which, hello, is groundbreaking even though, AGAIN, we already knew that. I love writing nice Spalison scenes.
> 
> Here's the thing: Because their relationship is going backwards, a lot of things are going to seem out of order and some people may ? at how these two are going to go about things and how these instances happen (rapidly) one after another. I'll say again what I said in last chapter's ending, author's note: "It's kinda hard to decide what you want to be with someone when you're already, technically married to them." This is where it gets complicated, obviously. Since neither of them know how intense the other's feelings are, neither of them want to be the first to suggest the idea of staying married out of "real feels." So, I'm sure a lot of you are thinking, "Well, why don't they just ignore the marriage while being some level of romantic since the commitment hasn't exactly been a shit-show thus far?" and that's the entire point; it hasn't been a shit-show and they know that ━ in fact, they've been acting like an actual, complex couple for a bit now ━ but it's still a commitment and, although they can digest the concept (themselves), they have no idea what the other wants because, hm, no one freakin' communicates. Basically, the question "Do you want to stay married?" is terrifying because it's practically another proposal. ━ Me, knowing I'm the one who wrote this: JUST ASK THE QUESTION, DAMN.
> 
> Additionally, because their relationship is going backwards, you'll see their feelings intensify super quickly. I know ya'll have been enjoying this slow-burn with no kissing ohhh sooo muchhh… *heh* (and I'll address that in a second), but their feelings will skyrocket for very valid reasons which you'll see by the end of the story. Remember, these two didn't meet recently; they've known each other for a long time and, even though they weren't physically together throughout however-many years, they still knew of each other's existence and, to put it bluntly (while being cheesy as all hell), you can't keep two, destined souls apart. To me, what they're about to go through is solid. Things are going to get mixed up (which they'll also notice), and relationship "steps" will be taken out of order, but this is Emison. What's simple with them? Also, this is Place Your Bet. What the hell is conventional about this fic?
> 
> Toby raised an interesting question: Do Emily/Alison share a last name, or will they? I just want to clarify (because I know this can sometimes be confusing)... Emily and Alison are legally married with a marriage certificate, but Alison/Emily still have quite a few things to sign before they share a name. Yeah, it's a whole freakin' process but, luckily for us, this is helpful because it gets them thinking about whether or not they'd like to start signing things and make their official marriage even more official by sharing a name. The pressure is on.
> 
> A kiss? What's a kiss? I feel like I owe ya'll an explanation (because I'd hate to be in the dark, just as much) so here's a mini spoiler: Yes, I knooow you're probably, seriously super-extra sick of this slow-burn nonsense and lack of kissing, but I promise there's a reason for it. What's the reason? I'm glad you asked. Okay, sure there have been many, many, many opportunities and you're probably like "Hey, what gives?" but I can assure you that it's because, well, why the hell would I give these two a bland, random, in-the-doorway (for example) kiss when I could write an extra-spontaneous scene that precisely fits the mood of this story? And, yes, that's the word to remember: spontaneous. Either way, you may very well be seeing said desired scene very, very, very, very, very soon.
> 
> Next update: Thursday.
> 
> OMGx100, tomorrow is the day (depending on what time-zone you're in). The. Day. PLL day. I can almost hear the intro theme playing already. While I fangirl over here, have a nice premiere day tomorrow and I'll see you for Ch 13.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who watched Tuesday's episode?
> 
> I won't spoil anything for those who haven't watched, but damn. I know some people are ticked off about the amount of tension between our two favorites, but wow… I can't express how beautifully intense this set-up is about to make their relationship ━ from a potential writing perspective, I suppose. Also, you know that scene… that one scene… with Alison ending lives… well, it reminds me of Ch 5's dinner with Sabrina/Emily/Alison and I *skull emoji*.
> 
> Back to the story: So, as of now, this chapter is the longest within this story (but that can change since I've been adding pieces here and there), sitting at 13.2K. Imagine revising 13.2K words three times, on your own, and two of those times are within the span of four days. If ya'll ever wonder how much I love you, just remember those numbers.
> 
> I present to you… CeCe's "ball-party-thing."

“God, I could’ve eaten thirty of those little cream puffs,” Hanna goes bug-eyed as everyone makes their way over to the ballroom attached to the smaller dining hall.

“I’m surprised you didn’t end up hitting that mark,” Mona snorts as she walks next to the blonde, following CeCe and Aria while Spencer, Toby, Emily, and Alison trail behind.

Emily feels Alison’s arm linked tightly with her own, walking as close as possible. Similarly, the two showed up to this entire event like that, only to be teased by Toby, Spencer, Aria, and CeCe who were already waiting at the large, open, front doors. The brunette rolled her eyes at the teasing and Alison sealed her lips with a semi-hidden smile, but neither tried breaking apart because they simply don’t care at this point.

Honestly, it was hard enough for them to get out of the house today ━ well, mostly on Emily’s part. They got ready separately (for the majority of the time) with the brunette changing into skinny, black dress pants and a maroon button-up that covers most of her cleavage, topping the outfit off by letting her hair fall loosely. She stood in front of her bedroom’s mirror for an extended period of time, taking deep breaths and preparing herself for the night ahead because she’s reaching her boiling point when it comes to keeping her mouth shut about her feelings ━ which she knows she shouldn’t do, in the first place. While standing in front of the mirror and staring at her reflection, Emily flashed back to the prior day when Alison got home from work and her lips curved into a smile at the memory.

_Emily descends the staircase at a steady rate, feeling bored even though she knows Alison should be home at any given━_

_The front door swings open to reveal said blonde, emphatically sighing as she steps over the threshold while staring at the floor. She looks up, however, to come face to face with Emily who smiles ━ with an accompanying expression that displays a tinge of concern. Alison flashes her a tight-lipped grin that looks more nervous than anything and the brunette tilts her head to the side._

_“You okay?” her voice is comforting._

_Instead of answering, Alison looks away, takes a deep breath, and cautiously steps forward so she can hug the girl who feels stunned by the embrace. Emily doesn’t want the blonde to feel any sort of rejection, however, so she forces her body to relax as her arms wrap around Alison, hugging her tightly. She feels herself smiling and, much to her surprise, she senses the blonde making a similar expression, so their bodies remain pressed together for another minute._

_Once Alison pulls back, she wears a sheepish smile and chews her lower lip while looking away again, whispering, “Yeah, I’m okay.”_

_“Are you sure?”_

_She nods, “I just… missed you.”_

_Emily’s expression is unreadable, though her insides feel as though they’re melting due to the feelings she’s been harboring for so long now, and her eyes study Alison’s with a gentle nature. The blonde offers a curt, nerve-infused smile and attempts to walk a step past Emily in fear that she’ll suddenly do something that she’s wanted to do for a while now ━ out of nowhere, she internally scolds herself ━ but, before she can get more than five inches away, a gentle grip wraps around her wrist and pulls her back. Her body is engulfed in another hug not even a second later, Emily holding her tight while Alison can practically hear their hearts beating because of how close they’re pushed together. Again, the brunette can feel the girl smile against her, so she keeps the embrace locked further while whispering, “I missed you too.”_

Once Alison backed up, her eyes detected something underlying within the words, almost as if Emily wasn’t only speaking about the most recent hours apart. At the time, her lips parted while looking at Emily, watching a subtle, knowing smile cross the girl’s mouth. In turn, Alison tried her hardest to hide her blushing cheeks but failed, causing Emily to only catch sight of the light tint before the blonde scurried into her bedroom ━ an abrupt, nervous exit that made the brunette chuckle to herself before moving into the kitchen.

For the rest of the day, the two spent minimal time together ━ much to both of their disappointment ━ and the brunette slept in her own bed. In a way, it was like their feelings became so overwhelming that both girls shut down and, while Emily was happy she didn’t have to be a stuttering idiot for most of the day, she kind of (or wholeheartedly) missed it ━ especially since she still wanted to kiss Alison but hasn’t had the chance.

So, when she heard Alison call her down the stairs only fifteen minutes before they had to leave for CeCe’s benefit, Emily all but ran toward the sound to find the blonde standing in her bedroom with an unzipped dress ━ or, more specifically, the dress she had worn on that memorable (well, technically not) Vegas night. As soon as the brunette’s eyes landed upon that short, half-white, half-black dress with a lace top and skinny straps, she felt herself staring and didn’t care to look away. Alison must have noticed because, in the closet mirror’s reflection, Emily saw the girl smirking with a knowing (and blatantly devious) expression, clearing her throat in order to make the girl blink. Next, her brown eyes drifted downwards to see the girl in heels that are enough to make her mouth dry, afterwards looking at the blonde’s face to notice she’s wearing red lipstick that could likely kill her.

_Alison clears her throat again and Emily finally shakes her head with a quiet “Sorry” and a partly embarrassed grin._

_“Too much?” the blonde raises an eyebrow, though the other girl can see a faint smile still on her face._

_Emily’s mouth opens but nothing comes out. The brunette continues to stand there without speaking, her eyes roaming up and down Alison’s figure while simultaneously trying to look away because the thoughts in her head aren’t becoming any clearer. As she lingers in the doorway, she begins to wonder how she’ll make it through the night, especially if the blonde is planning on looking at her with a curious yet lustful focus for hours. She swallows hard and Alison almost laughs when she sees the visible nervousness but, instead, speaks with an innocent yet seductive tone._

_“Can you zip me up?” blue eyes watch the other girl nod absentmindedly before she approaches Alison who remains standing in front of the mirror._

_As Emily gets closer, she begins to wonder why the girl isn’t wearing her mother’s necklace once she sees it on the end table, especially because it’s a formal occasion and the item is super important to Alison. She doesn’t question it, however, because her words are currently caught in her throat as she ends up right behind the blonde._

_She doesn’t do anything, at first. In fact, Alison nearly turns around to see what’s wrong, but she waits because, while Emily came closer, she began to feel ten times more nervous and a little less confident._

_The blonde hardly breathes when she finally feels shaky hands slowly zip the back of her dress, afterwards locking eyes with Emily through the mirror._

_“All set,” comes the brunette’s response, but the words are basically mouthed._

_Alison turns around a second later, intently staring at the girl who stands in front of her with a taken aback expression since they’re now face to face and only inches apart. The blonde’s eyes periodically flicker down to Emily’s lips, but she recovers by offering her best, unwavering smile before walking over to her nightstand. Her eyes catch sight of the red, plastic box that rests next to the chapel’s pen, but she shakes her head and turns back around._

_“Ready to go?”_

“Ooh,” Hanna squeaks out of nowhere, breaking Emily out of her thoughts, “open bar.”

“If she gets super drunk… I didn’t invite her,” CeCe comments as she points at the others.

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” Mona sighs as she follows the excitable blonde through a crowd of formal-wearing writers, overall journalists, and their dates.

“We have a table further over there, but feel free to sit wherever,” CeCe gestures overhead, partially looking back at the rest of her “support group.”

“Got it,” Spencer nods.

“I'm gonna go… _mingle_ ,” the same blonde makes a face.

While CeCe disappears into the crowd as music booms through speakers in a dimly lit ballroom, Spencer, Aria, Toby, Emily, and Alison linger near the door in an empty corner, all gathered since they have no idea what to do.

“I think I’m gonna head over to the bar,” Aria speaks loudly, just enough to be heard over the music, afterwards giggling as she drags Spencer with her who, in turn, brings Toby along.

The three get lost in the same crowd that CeCe previously disappeared in, leaving Emily and Alison near the door as they look anywhere _but_ at one another.

“Do you, um, want to… follow them?” the brunette gets out, not knowing why she suddenly feels more nervous than she was at dinner since everything (surprisingly) went smoothly.

“Sure,” Alison smiles, “let’s go.”

She grabs Emily’s hand and pulls her through the wall of people, keeping a firm grasp on the brunette because it’s absolutely packed in the ballroom with people who somewhat dance while sipping fancy drinks and champagne.

Emily rubs her lips together as she looks around, studying the room’s fancy decorations, marble pillars, and high ceiling. It’s absolutely beautiful, she thinks, and she’s pretty proud that CeCe seems to have landed a solid job ━ especially since she’s been working toward it for a while now. Even at dinner, their group was introduced to the tall blonde’s new boss who comes off as a genuine, productive person with a big heart and Emily began to understand why the girl wanted to impress everyone so much.

On a less-amusing note, the brunette quickly grew annoyed with one of CeCe’s new coworkers ━ a fellow, rookie journalist ━ because he “introduced” himself to Alison for a bit too long, allowing his eyes to linger on the girl who sat practically pressed against Emily throughout dinner. Emily didn’t say anything, however, because it’s not exactly her place to speak up and, technically, if Alison was annoyed, she would’ve said something to the guy. So, in the end, she held an unwavering poker face and continued to make conversation with everyone in hopes that the sickeningly jealous feeling would leave her stomach ━ and it did, as soon as the tool walked away.

They reach the bar within the next minute, having had to wait for a large crowd of people to break apart while standing in front of the elongated, round counter. At first, Emily can’t see any of their friends but, while looking around, she hears their names being called.

“Ali,” Mona yells a second time from where she stands, waving in their direction so they know where they’re sitting.

Instead of Alison tugging on Emily’s hand like before, the blonde intertwines their fingers as they walk, casually approaching the other members of their group ━ aside from CeCe who is likely still conversing with her coworkers and making better impressions.

Aria looks at their clasped hands and smiles, nudging Spencer in the side and earning a frown when the girl initially doesn’t know what she’s doing. She glances downwards, however, and a smile gets plastered on her face before turning around to talk to Toby. Meanwhile, Alison faces Emily who smirks for an unknown reason.

“What?” the blonde narrows her eyes.

Without saying anything, Emily pulls her over to the bar and waits for one of the bartenders to approach. When the brunette looks at Alison once more, she’s faced with a “what are you up to?” type of smile and squinted eyes, still not saying anything as she turns around to lean over the counter a fraction, talking to the bartender about something before he attentively hums, nods, and walks away. Emily waits, tapping her fingers along the glossed-over, wooden surface while Alison’s eyes bore into the back of her head because, really, she has no idea what’s going through the brunette’s mind.

Their friends sit a bunch of chairs away since, when Emily grew impatient because she couldn’t find an open spot to place an order, she shifted a couple of groups down. Alison barely hears their friends’ conversation, but, in all honesty, she’s more focused on the girl in front of her ━ A.K.A. the one who _refuses_ to look at her.

Suddenly, Alison eyes the drink being slid across the counter to Emily who tips the bartender, carefully turning around and holding out the glass for the blonde to take. The brunette smirks hard, wanting to giggle at Alison’s expression because it’s pointed and maybe a little scolding, focus flickering between Emily’s constant, amused look and the Cosmo being held in her hand.

“Come on,” Emily tries with another smile, laughing a little because Alison rolls her eyes and attempts to suppress her own smile but can’t. “Every time you wear that dress, you have to have at least one.”

“So, it's like some form of payback against me for wearing this dress?” she raises an eyebrow while her voice is laced with seduction, being given a shaky laugh in response as brown eyes roam down her body again.

“A little,” Emily admits through an exhale, afterwards solidifying her voice with a newer grin, “but it’s also like a…” she tries to think of a word, “tradition.”

The blonde laughs, shaking her head, “This is only the second time, Em. It can’t _possibly_ be a tradition already.”

“Then we’ll make it one,” Emily tilts her head to the side with expectant eyes, still holding out the drink for Alison to take ━ which, soon, she does.

“This time, I really mean it,” Alison warns with a tiny smirk. “ _One_ drink. I actually want to remember tonight, thank you very much.”

“Me too,” Emily agrees with a quiet tone, again feeling nervous because the blonde keeps repeatedly glancing at her with eyes that hold a swirl of some type of newer emotion ━ something _deeper_ , though Emily has no idea what it is.

Alison purses her lips and looks away. A few, silent minutes pass before Hanna walks over to the two with the smug comment, “Ah, I see you’ve taken a liking to my Cosmo idea.”

The other blonde rolls her eyes and sips the drink with a smile, focus shifting to Emily who tries to pretend that she wasn’t checking Alison out, in the meantime.

“So, Em, I hear you’re living the high-risk life now,” Hanna tastes her own drink as Mona comes up next to her.

“Really, Ali?” the dark-haired girl shoots her a pointed look. “Breaking into Holbrook’s house? You didn’t even tell me beforehand. Or _after_ , come to think of it.”

“Sorry, Mom, I will next time,” Alison rolls her eyes while Emily internally does the same because clearly her friends are selective when it comes to what information they keep to themselves.

“And you,” Mona turns to Emily with a stern finger-point. “We told you to take care of Alison, yet you’re letting her break into abusive men’s houses?”

The brunette goes to open her mouth when Alison interrupts.

“She didn’t know what we’d be doing until we got there,” the blonde defends the girl who’s done nothing but take care of her. “I ran out of the car before she could change my mind, and… well, she followed me so she could keep an eye out.”

Emily looks at Alison who faintly smiles, afterwards turning back to the two others.

“At least Em finally gave him what he deserves,” Hanna looks at Mona. “Though I wish it was much more than a punch,” she finishes with a mumble, earning a small laugh from Alison who looks down at her feet.

“And what’s got you so hot-headed tonight, anyway?” again, Hanna faces the dark-haired girl with a quirked eyebrow.

“I’m just annoyed Mike couldn’t come. Sorry.”

“Hey, I think I’m being a pretty damn nice date,” Hanna frowns. “Who needs Mike, anyway.”

“Jeez, what’d my brother do now?” Aria comes up behind Emily and Alison, chuckling at the conversation she walked in on.

“Ditched Mona,” comes Hanna’s response.

“He didn’t _ditch_ me,” Mona speaks matter-of-factly. “He had to work late.”

“Want me to yell at him?” Aria offers, laughing because she’s only partly joking since she and Mona have become super close throughout the years.

“No,” she purses her lips, “I’ll do that, myself.”

“I turn around for two seconds and everyone’s gone,” Spencer shakes her head as she approaches, arm linked with Toby’s.

“More like five minutes,” Toby corrects, earning a jab to the side.

Emily moves over to stand near Hanna who sits, mostly due to feeling like she’s keeping the others out of their forming circle. Alison stares at the brunette who now looks back at her. Within the next second, they both smile before Alison makes a face, afterwards watching Emily stick her tongue out in a mocking manner. In response, Alison giggles but bites her lower lip to regain a solid expression.

Suddenly, Hanna turns to Emily and starts playing with her brown hair, being side-eyed by the girl.

“Um, can I help you?” Emily chuckles and turns to the blonde who continues to play with her hair, humming in the process.

“Has your hair always been this light? I swear, it used to be way darker,” she plays with the strands, being watched by Alison who narrows her eyes when she remembers the girls’ history with one another ━ not to mention the fact that she flashes back to when she had played with the brunette’s hair, feeling way more for the girl than what she portrayed on the surface.

“I━I don’t know,” the question is so random that Emily stutters while answering, seeming out of place.

“Hm,” comes the short hum from Hanna who, within seconds, smiles and tucks a strand of the girl’s hair behind her ear. “I like it.”

She turns away after, sipping her drink like nothing happened while Alison stands there with a clenched jaw and annoyed features. She looks at her own drink and finishes the liquid, swallowing hard while staring away from everyone else. Internally, she wonders why the simple gesture pissed her off so much. Jealousy, yeah, but it’s _Hanna_ . Of course the two have a history that’s a tad unsettling now, but it’s not like it _completely_ bothered her before so it doesn’t make much sense. On the other hand, Alison realizes that she’s been under the impression that Emily is hers even though they haven’t spoken about anything or, overall, acted on their feelings, so maybe she’s just becoming a bit possessive.

Emily notices Alison’s change in demeanor and stares at the blonde who only side-eyes her for a short moment, not giving her any room to ask what’s wrong. The brunette falls silent for a while, not trying to take part in any conversation between everyone else until Aria walks over to stand between her and Hanna, immediately leaning over and whispering, “Hey, are you okay?”

In response, Emily forces a smile and nods, though Aria doesn’t buy it one bit and gives her a pointed look.

“I’m fine, really. Just confused,” she whispers just enough for the shorter brunette to hear over the music.

“About?”

Her mouth opens and closes, no words coming out.

“Is it…?” Aria’s eyes move in Alison’s direction without giving it away, earning a breathy “Yeah, a little” from Emily.

“Ask her to dance,” she shrugs with a tiny smile, hearing a slower song come on over the speakers.

“Oh, I can’t,” Emily shakes her head with wide eyes.

“Em, you _know_ her. She’s not going to turn you down.”

“I don’t know that, for sure.”

“Don’t be silly. Spencer already gave me the details of what’s going on between you two _and_ I noticed a lot on my own,” Aria raises an eyebrow. “You and Ali have to stop being so stubborn and finally… _admit it_. You want to be together so just… let it happen. Be together.”

“It’s not that simple,” she glances in Aria’s direction before looking down at her feet.

“Because you’re making it complicated,” the girl’s voice sounds like she’s pleading. “What’s so difficult about admitting that you want to be with her?” she keeps their conversation quiet so the music drowns it out.

“I don’t know how she feels. I don’t know what she wants.”

“You’re blinded by your past with her, Em. All of this…” Aria breathes out and forces another smile that silently tells herself to relax before expressing a new thought, “You’re not letting yourself see how crazy she is about you because of what happened back then. You said it yourself… this isn’t the same Alison. She’s different.”

“I know, I know,” she shakes her head and her eyes briefly dart to Alison who continuously stares at the empty glass in her hand with a semi-irritated attitude being visible throughout her posture.

She continues with an even-quieter voice, “I just don’t know how to go about this. I mean, we’re married. What are we supposed to do? _Really_ date while being _really_ married? That makes no sense. And proposing the idea of staying married out of true feelings is _terrifying_. It’s only been a few weeks,” she looks beside herself. “What if she…” Emily closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, again shaking her head.

“You’re thinking way too much,” Aria gives her a look. “Make a move, talk about things, and go from there. She may surprise you and you know it. You may even surprise yourself.”

The taller girl’s mouth opens before she bites her lower lip.

“And, for what it’s worth,” the girl’s tone is gentle and comforting, “you’ve grown so much in recent weeks. You’ve noticeably changed and I'm happy for you. Both of you.”

“Thank you,” Emily manages to genuinely smile, albeit she swallows hard. “I feel different.”

“I’m sure you feel much more than just different,” a teasing grin tugs at Aria’s lips, somewhat glancing upwards and nodding in Alison’s direction, though the blonde isn’t looking toward them.

After another moment, Emily takes a deep breath and forces some confidence, allowing Aria’s words to sink in. Without wasting any more time, she’s about to walk over to Alison when said blonde suddenly takes a noticeable breath and moves past her to approach Hanna with a whispered “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Of course,” the other blonde furrows her eyebrows but follows Alison who walks away with one last glance at Emily, leaving the confused girl standing next to Aria who also watches the two move further into the room.

Alison weaves through a separate group of people who stand near the entrance of a carpeted hallway that leads to the bathrooms. She stops when they’re completely alone with little music disrupting what she’s about to talk to Hanna about, taking a deep breath when they’re finally face to face.

“You’re kinda scaring me, Ali,” Hanna frowns. “Is something wrong?”

“You and Em…” she starts. “There’s nothing…” again, her voice trails off almost immediately. “Should I worry about you two?”

Hanna just about snorts at the implication, not being able to stop the soft laugh that passes her lips as Alison crosses her arms with an irritated look.

“Forget it,” Alison shakes her head and begins to walk away, only to be pulled back by Hanna.

“Ali, I’m only laughing because I knew what I told you weeks ago would bother you eventually,” she tilts her head to the side. “Even when I first told you, I could tell it struck a nerve, whether you admit it or not.”

Alison looks at the floor with her arms crossed.

Hanna finishes with a sympathetic smile, “You’re not as good of a liar as you used to be.”

“It’s just… I saw you with her a few minutes ago, and I don’t know,” the girl shifts her jaw, feeling like this entire conversation is ridiculous due to the given circumstances. “It made me remember what happened, I guess.”

“I was practically petting her hair, Alison,” Hanna raises an eyebrow.

“No, I know,” comes Alison’s sigh as she backs up and leans her head against the wall. “I don’t know why I’m so━”

“━jealous?” the other blonde finishes with a knowing look. “I’m beyond sure that you know why you’re feeling jealous.”

“I know _why,_ but…” again, she shakes her head.

Hanna approaches and puts her hands on the girl’s shoulders, “I am telling you, right now, that it’s history, Ali. That’s all. It was a one-time thing and, honestly, I doubt she even _wants_ to remember.”

Alison sighs.

“Look,” she continues, “I can’t change the past. If I could, you know it’d already be done for both our sakes. _But_ , if you _really_ want to feel better about this whole thing, maybe you should make a move. Do something bold and Ali-like.”

“How would that make me feel better?”

“Because you’d give her something else to remember,” Hanna smirks.

Alison laughs, “We still haven't spoken about anything. I'm not sure what she's expecting out of this.”

“I don’t think she’s _expecting_ anything, but I can tell she _wants_ a lot,” comes Hanna’s insight. “I may be the _funniest_ person you’ve ever known, but I’m also a realist━”

“No, you’re not.”

“Okay, I’m not,” she breathes out with an admitting frown, “but I _am_ a people person, and you can’t deny that.”

Alison tilts her head back and forth in silent agreement.

“She wants to be with you,” Hanna smiles big, “so be with her. I know you want it just as much.”

The blonde looks down at the floor beneath their feet, soon glancing up at Hanna for a split second, afterwards turning away again while whispering, “But what if I want her more than she wants me?”

“I don’t think that’s possible,” the girl’s tone is solid and holds serious conviction. “I think you're both pretty much dead-locked in the feelings department,” she mumbles and quietly chuckles.

No response.

“Ali, what _do_ you want? Like… specifically. And don’t just say ‘her’ because, trust me, everyone already knows that,” Hanna speaks matter-of-factly and Alison rolls her eyes, afterwards taking in a deep inhale and soon exhaling while thinking.

“I don’t…” she pauses because, yes, she _does_ know. “I want to be with her, and I want her to _know_ I want to be with her and that I love━” the rest of her sentence dies in her throat, earning a beaming smile from Hanna and a nervous, wide-eyed expression from Alison.

“You can say it,” the other blonde coaxes.

“No, I can’t,” she lets out a shaky laugh. “It’s easy to say I _think_ I do, but…”

Hanna studies her with narrowed eyes, but Alison manages to escape the conversation with a groaned-out “God, I’ve never felt this vulnerable in my life and I hate it.”

“Do something about it, then,” she shrugs. “Take the bull by the horns.”

“I don’t know if I can do that,” Alison makes a face.

“Wow, I didn’t realize you dropped the tough, DiLaurentis act when you became a Fields,” Hanna challenges.

Alison stares at her, looking unmoved.

“Go,” the other blonde points to the ballroom, immediately being given a pair of narrowed eyes. “Don’t look at me like that. Go find Emily and make something happen because I’m sick of feeling like I’m in some romance novel whenever you two are in a room together.”

“Okay, first of all━”

“ _Go_.”

She glares at Hanna for a second longer, afterwards rolling her eyes once more and walking away so she can find Emily. The music is now slower and the lights are more dimmed-out, setting a mood for those who decide to dance with their lovers and/or close friends. Alison moves through the thinner crowd, bumping into a few people but not really caring since she can’t find the brunette anywhere.

She reaches the remainder of their friend group soon enough but Emily is nowhere in sight. Suddenly, she begins to panic while hoping the brunette didn’t go home since she somewhat stormed off with Hanna.

“Are you okay, Ali?” Spencer must have seen the girl’s worried features because her voice holds concern.

“Where’s Em?” is her abrupt answer.

“Oh,” the brunette tries to look through the thinned-out crowd, spotting Emily sitting at a table, “she went to sit down over there.”

“Thanks,” Alison forces a smile before pushing through another group of people, being completely over this severely packed room of tipsy, dressy party-goers.

It doesn’t take long before she finds Emily. The girl is sitting alone while staring at the small amount of people slow-dancing nearby, but she seems zoned out and bites her lower lip in the process. Alison smiles but feels bad for leaving so randomly before, especially because she noticed Emily about to approach her a second prior to pulling Hanna away.

So, without letting another minute pass, she timidly walks over to sit next to Emily, pulling her chair closer than initially so they can hear one another over the music. The brunette only breaks out of her trance upon hearing the scuff of Alison’s chair, quickly turning to see the blonde smiling as their shoulders touch.

“Whatcha doing?” Alison looks at Emily’s hands, noticing that the girl’s playing with her fingers as if she’s nervous.

“Nothing,” the brunette breathes out as quiet music plays in the background. “Thinking.”

“About?”

“Honestly?” Emily faces the girl sitting next to her, earning a head nod.

She waits a moment before looking down and saying, “You,” drawing a smile from Alison.

The blonde goes to answer after seconds of allowing the statement to linger, but she’s quickly cut off by the same, rookie journalist who introduced himself at dinner.

“You again,” he comments with a beaming smile that Emily rolls her eyes at, straightening her back as she sits.

“Uh, yeah,” Alison purses her lips. “Hi… _again_.”

“Enjoying the event?” the man attempts to hold a conversation but the blonde wants to kick him because he’s not the person she’s _trying_ to talk to.

“Yup.”

“Do you want to dance?” again, he smiles heavily and Emily feels herself wanting to speak up but keeps her mouth shut for the sake of not being overbearing ━ _and_ for the sake of not saying anything that’ll give CeCe a bad reputation.

“I don’t think my wife would like that,” Alison replies ever-so-casually, being given a raised eyebrow and a blunt laugh by the guy standing in front of them while Emily feels a tiny smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

“She doesn’t have to know,” comes his response and the brunette clears her throat emphatically, causing Alison to seal her lips to contain a laugh when the journalist’s eyes widen with a nervous grin.

“I’m sorry. You weren’t wearing a ring, and I━I…” he stumbles over his words and Alison offers a tight-lipped smile before he walks away.

“That worked surprisingly well,” the blonde nods, looking at Emily with a softer attitude. “I’ll definitely be using that line more often.”

Emily looks away, “Hopefully you won’t _have_ to use it too much.”

Alison smirks at the jealousy, feeling comforted that she’s not the only one being torn to bits because of the feelings in her head and stirring in her stomach. To cover up her relief, however, she decides to put the brunette on the spot, also using the tactic to pick the girl’s brain.

“Why not?” she asks with an upbeat tone. “You don’t like me using it?” the subtle grin stays on her face, being turned to by the brunette who creases her forehead when she’s put on the spot.

“That’s not…” Emily stops talking and gets out a timid laugh while bowing her head. “I don’t particularly enjoy the thought of you using it solely because it’s effective when someone is bothering you. Like just now.”

“Who says that’s the only reason why I used it?”

“Wasn’t it?” Emily turns the tables on the girl, being faced by Alison whose mouth opens with only a caught off-guard laugh following the question.

The brunette’s eyes drift down to Alison’s lips for a moment, still waiting for a response even though she realizes that she’s probably not going to get one ━ which, realistically, she expected. In fact, Emily’s own nerves begin to eat away at her because she really wants to ask Alison to dance since the songs are getting even slower, but it’s not like she’s ever had the guts to do anything severely━

Emily forces herself to get up within seconds, being watched by Alison who frowns in confusion. At first, the brunette looks around, not knowing what she’s doing anymore but feeling slightly empowered. She glances down at Alison soon after, earning a curious head tilt from the blonde. Emily exhales with a small laugh and extends her hand for the girl to take, but Alison only narrows her eyes and smiles.

“What?” the blonde pretends she has no idea what’s going on.

“Are you seriously going to make me ask━”

“Yes, I am,” Alison blinks innocently, waiting.

“Will you please dance with me?” Emily whispers even though she feels like her chest is about to cave in.

Alison’s smile widens and she nods before taking the brunette’s hand, walking until they’re at the edge of the crowd. Once they’re on the dancefloor, Emily somewhat freezes and doesn’t know where to put her hands which, obviously, Alison figures out because she giggles at the brunette’s nervous attitude. When she stops laughing, however, she guides Emily’s hands to her waist before sliding her own up the girl’s shoulders, leaning her forearms in the same place. She crosses her arms behind Emily’s neck, smiling at the brunette who seems way too panicked to look her straight in the eyes.

“Relax, Em,” Alison’s voice is comforting. “It’s me.”

“That’s exactly why I can’t relax,” she laughs nervously, still looking away.

“Tell me why.”

“Because you’re you, and I…” Emily trails off before backtracking. “You’re special to me,” she confesses, “and it’s nerve-wracking.”

“Don’t worry,” she tilts her head to the side, smiling when the brunette finally looks at her. “You’re not the only nervous one.”

Emily tries to offer a smile.

Alison continues with a cautious voice, “I have to ask, Em… I already talked to Hanna, but I want to hear what you have to say…”

Emily furrows her eyebrows, not knowing what the girl is talking about.

“There’s nothing between you two, is there? I mean, I know about what happened a while ago, but…”

“She just wanted someone to experiment with, Ali, I promise,” Emily tries to provide closure.

“I guess I’m only wondering because… why’d you go with it? You already pretty much had yourself figured out by then, so it wasn’t an experiment to you,” Alison stares into Emily’s eyes, making sure she doesn’t see anything to hint that she’s lying.

“I wish I had an answer for you,” Emily smiles sadly before licking her lips in thought. “I don’t know, I guess. At the time, I was still struggling with getting over you and I wanted some sort of comfort. I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle actually _dating_ someone because I had already tried that, so it sort of… _happened_.”

Alison looks away, still feeling insecure but, instead of shutting down, she takes a step toward Emily as they dance, wanting to be as close as possible.

“I promise that there’s nothing there,” the brunette speaks again and Alison finally looks at her ━ albeit timidly.

When the blonde doesn’t respond, Emily continues with an almost-inaudible voice, “She’s not the one I want.”

Alison smiles at the underlying confession as she tries her hardest to maintain eye contact with Emily. She can’t, however, because she feels her cheeks warming up and just wants to hide, so she takes another step forward and somewhat buries her face into the girl’s neck, hearing Emily giggle at the sudden embrace.

They dance slowly, not even listening to the music playing because they’re in their own, little world, meanwhile ignoring the six pairs of eyes that stare at them from across the room.

“This whole bet thing was much less fun than I thought it’d be,” Hanna speaks with a flat tone, staring at the two who dance closely. “From a greedy point of view, I mean,” she backtracks with an admitting nature, overall feeling happy for her friends.

“I didn’t expect it to be all that fun,” Mona comments.

“What?!” the blonde goes wide-eyed. “You made it sound like it’d be a blast and we’d be watching them duel it out with swords within the first night.”

“No,” she softly corrects, “I said that I didn’t think them splitting up would be simple because we _all_ saw something between them, that night.”

“You also said they’d want to one-up each other and it’d snowball,” Aria leans forward and adds with a reminding tone.

“Oh, what- _ever_ ,” she emphasizes. “Are you seriously going to complain about the bet when those two are practically having their first dance as a married couple, as we speak?”

“I’ll admit, they’re super cute together,” CeCe takes a sip of her drink.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Em that messed up,” Spencer agrees, pursing her lips. “Confused, I mean.”

“ _You_ ?” Toby snickers. “You weren’t the one listening to her ramble without breathing for an entire minute, the other night. _I_ almost passed out.”

“What’d she say?” Hanna looks at him.

“Can’t tell you,” he smirks. “We have a code and I'm only allowed to share certain things.”

“What kind of code?” Mona arches an eyebrow. “A _bro_ -code? I can name five things more solid than a bro-code.”

“No, no, he’s right,” Spencer speaks matter-of-factly. “Alison spilled some details to me the other night and I’m not about to share them.”

At the same time, Mona and Hanna squeak out an abrupt “What?” because Spencer and Alison never had any, solid heart-to-hearts before the other night and, frankly, it’s pretty new.

“Mhm,” she hums with a smug grin, “she’s definitely changed, I’ll tell you that much.”

“God, we _really_ need to step our friendship game up,” Hanna looks at Mona who hums out a curt “Mhm.”

“Five bucks says Alison kisses Emily first,” the same blonde speaks absentmindedly, not even letting a minute pass after her last declaration.

“I refuse to bet on anything else,” Spencer shakes her head.

“Chicken.”

“Okay, but what if Emily actually kisses Alison first?” Aria looks at Spencer, remembering her conversation with their third friend.

“Have some control, woman,” the brunette’s eyes go wide, being chuckled at by CeCe.

“Oh, let her have fun,” comes CeCe’s comment and hand-wave.

“No, I probably shouldn’t…” Aria breathes out.

“Good idea,” Mona smirks.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

The dark-haired girl shrugs with a “you know what it means” kind of expression.

“Five dollars?” Aria looks between Hanna and Mona who glance at one another for a few seconds.

“Each,” Hanna flashes a tight-lipped smile.

The short brunette side-eyes Spencer.

“Don’t even look at me, Aria,” she warns and Toby laughs.

The girl turns to CeCe who rolls her eyes.

“If I lose five dollars because you can’t control your gambling problem, we’re gonna have a bigger problem,” the blonde gives Aria a pointed look. “Emily better kiss her.”

“Okay, winning team splits ten,” Hanna claps and wiggles in her seat, eyes staring ahead at Emily and Alison who dance in the same position as before.

Another song begins as Alison shifts her head against Emily’s neck while the brunette readjusts her hands’ positioning to keep the girl close. Multiple songs have already gone by and, during each, the girls have gotten closer while enjoying one another’s company. They’ve briefly talked here and there, sometimes laughing at silly things like when Emily claimed that this is her first, _actual_ dance with someone and Alison replied that she’s honored to be the brunette’s first slow-dance ━ _after_ having heard that the tanned girl didn’t slow-dance at their prom. Emily feels Alison shift again and she smiles.

“You’re not falling asleep on me, are you?”

“No,” the blonde laughs. “You smell really nice so I’ve been enjoying it.”

“I’m glad,” Emily’s response barely comes out.

Alison lifts her head suddenly and smiles, “Thank you for asking me to dance.”

“That guy’s invitation wasn’t enticing enough?”

The other girl chuckles before licking her red-coated lips and swallowing hard, her focus dancing between Emily’s eyes and mouth repeatedly while their bodies move together and turn slowly.

“He’s not the one I want,” she whispers, using the brunette’s words from before.

Emily, upon hearing the girl’s underlying confession, feels her lips part and can’t even smile because the butterflies in her stomach are eating her insides quickly. It doesn’t exactly help her nerves when she sees Alison leaning closer, but Emily does the same because she’s been waiting to kiss the blonde for days now. She feels the girl’s grip on the back of her neck tighten a fraction, bringing their faces closer as their noses brush against each other and their lips are nearly touching, but Alison’s eyes flutter open, glance somewhere past the brunette, and, with a tiny laugh, she takes a step back.

Emily’s forehead creases in confusion, not knowing what just happened, but Alison continues to back up with a barely noticeable, timid smile while whispering, “We’re being watched, you know.”

She narrows her eyes at Alison who walks backwards until she’s at their former table, ultimately turning to see their six friends staring at them, some waving with guilty smiles while Hanna whines dramatically at something. In the end, the brunette breathes out, rubs her lips together, and glances at Alison who looks equally as frustrated. Soon, she approaches the table in order to sit next the blonde, both remaining silent as they look around and try to ignore the mounting, “I just wanna kiss you” type of tension between them.

 

X X X

 

The two girls practically stumble into the house while laughing, Alison hanging onto Emily’s arm as the brunette locks the door behind them. She clears her throat while the blonde tries to even her breathing.

“I bet now you’re even happier that you turned down his dance proposal,” Emily chuckles again, shaking her head and leaning against the wooden barrier as Alison looks around with an amused grin.

“That was so bad,” she begins to laugh hard.

A little over thirty minutes before the two decided on leaving, they had been standing at the bar with CeCe and Aria, having been left by Spencer and Toby who went back to the brunette’s place ━ after Emily decided to put the spotlight on her neighbor who had teased her all night.

_“Why don’t you two just live together?” Emily snickers when Toby puts on a sheepish expression, getting a devious, “yeah, why don’t we?” kind of look from Spencer._

_“Mind your business,” Alison bumps Emily’s shoulder with a lighthearted, scolding whisper._

_“Yeah, Em. Listen to your wife,” Toby pokes fun at her, earning an eye-roll._

_“Actually, I think Alison’s wife has a fair point,” Spencer intervenes with an exaggerated, pointed tone, looking at the blonde who seals her lips with blushing cheeks._

Hanna and Mona, having a long drive back to Philadelphia, walked out even earlier than the couple.

_“Are you really leaving?” Alison pouts._

_“Yeah, it’s getting late and I still need to kick Mike’s ass,” Mona exaggeratedly sighs as Hanna looks through her small purse, frowning._

_“Hey, have you seen my keys?” she whispers to the dark-haired girl, getting an affirmative hum in response. “Well, where are they?”_

_“I have them,” she says as if it’s the most obvious thing and Alison chuckles._

_“Can you give them back?” Hanna narrows her eyes._

_“No.”_

_“I’m not drunk, Mona,” she deadpans. “I had one drink, if that.”_

_“I know. You’re just a shitty driver,” the girl walks away from Alison with a big smile and a wink, being followed by Hanna who groans after giving the other blonde her own goodbye._

Once those four were gone, the remaining group members talked amongst themselves as Alison leaned her head on Emily’s shoulder, partly paying attention to the conversation that CeCe and Aria had been holding for an extended amount of time. The music, in that moment, was picking up again with a sea of now-drunk dancers making idiots of themselves as they tried to keep up ━ including the rookie journalist who, thirty minutes prior, tried to get with Alison while Emily was standing _right there_ ━ yet another time.

_“Let me try this again,” he declares with confidence as he stands in front of Alison and Emily, the blonde raising an eyebrow at the guy who now smells like a college party._

_After emphatically clearing his throat, the journalist straightens his back and announces, “I would love it if you’d dance with me.”_

_The brunette shifts her jaw and looks away, causing the man to glance at her with an annoying hum._

_“Ah, yes, the wife,” comes the head nod. “May I borrow your pretty lady for a few?”_

_She lets out a bitter laugh and sasses, “If the pretty lady doesn’t want to be borrowed, then no. Did you not hear her, the first time?”_

_“She’s only afraid to dance with me because she thinks you’ll be pissed at her,” he tries._

_“Um, no, actually, I━” Alison is about to bitch him out when CeCe approaches._

_“Jonathan,” the taller blonde snaps with an obviously forced smile, “the boss asked to see you.”_

_“Really? Where is he?” Jonathan looks around, feeling eager to show off for the man who’s recently employed him._

_“I last saw him smoking out front,” she gestures toward the doors and he runs off without another word._

_“You lied to him, didn’t you?” Alison smirks._

_CeCe crosses her arms, “He’s such a fucking leech.”_

_Emily looks at CeCe who offers her an underlying smile and sense of security, getting a mouthed “Thank you” from the brunette who remains partly behind Alison._

After that, the next time they saw Jonathan was when he was making a complete fool of himself in the middle of the dancefloor, attempting to do some “impressive” moves but falling short every time. Alison tilted her head to the side, narrowing her eyes because she had no idea if he was trying to moonwalk or stutter-step, and Emily stood next to her with sealed lips because she was trying her hardest not to laugh super hard at the entire thing. CeCe didn’t care, however, and was practically in tears while Aria walked up to the group again, a curious expression on her face until she turned to watch the sight and fell into the same fit of laughter.

“God, he was such a━” Emily starts again, being cut off by Alison who laughs.

“━tool?” she raises her eyebrows and the brunette nods with pursed lips.

“You read my mind,” comes the comment as she slowly nods and approaches the blonde, still lingering in the house’s front hallway.

“I always do,” Alison smirks as she stands three feet in front of the stairs, eyes repeatedly flickering down to the girl’s lips like they have been for ninety percent of the night, especially since they still haven’t kissed even though they’ve been━

Once they’re less than a foot away, Emily gingerly reaches for Alison’s hands and brings her closer, the smile never leaving her face as she gently yet forcibly moves the blonde’s arms so they’re crossed behind her neck again. Like hours ago, she holds Alison’s waist and seals her lips with a now-nervous grin even though she’s trying to hold onto the little courage that’s ( _finally_ ) decided to appear. Alison giggles but plays along, somewhat dancing with Emily in the dark hallway while the rest of the house is completely silent. Every now and then, the brunette chuckles but shakes her head, never realizing how cheesy everything is until they’re actually in the moment.

Surprisingly (to herself, at least), Emily sees Alison looking at her with lovable features and she takes the initiative to lean their foreheads against one another, their faces showing signs of being love-drunk and carefree. Alison’s fingertips drag along the back of Emily’s neck as she leans forward a bit, only enough so they’re brushing noses while dancing, and a tiny laugh falls from her lips as they continue to move slowly.

“I see you’ve found some confidence when it comes to dancing,” the blonde smiles.

“After seeing him dance, yes, I do,” Emily giggles, biting her lower lip afterwards.

“I don’t think that’s the only reason.”

“What’s another reason, then?”

“Your head’s a little more clear,” Alison shyly grins and Emily’s lidded eyes dart away with a nervous smile and small chuckle, not bothering to deny it.

“It’s okay,” the blonde continues with a comforting whisper. “Mine is too.”

Emily, feeling her heart trying to escape her chest, takes in a shaky inhale and rubs her lips together, wanting to fully look at Alison to see what her expression portrays, but her body won’t take her backwards because she’s just too damn satisfied being this close to the girl ━ in more ways than one. So, in the end, she attempts to force herself into taking a huge leap of faith, slowly leaning in as she feels Alison do the same ━ that is, until the blonde randomly yet deliberately backs up with a shy smirk, hands dragging down Emily’s arms until she loosely intertwines their fingers while putting even more distance between them. The brunette looks at her skeptically while their hands unclasp and fall to their sides, albeit the corners of her mouth are still curved into a smile, and Alison’s eyes seem to roam her figure as she continues shuffling backwards.

“The night’s still young, you know,” Alison mutters before emphatically rubbing her lips together.

She sees Emily’s mouth open, but her attitude is soft and wanting, so Alison’s seductive nature holds up as she comes to a standstill only two feet away from the bedroom door. Alison, seeing Emily continuously staring at her without blinking, clears her throat and snaps the brunette out of her thoughts, watching an embarrassed grin appear on the girl’s face before she’s able to speak.

“I’m, uh… going upstairs to change,” the tanned girl’s voice is shaky. “I’ll be back down in a few,” she recovers with a whisper and warmer eyes.

“I’ll be waiting,” the blonde’s smirk remains on her face as she turns away from the girl, glancing at Emily once more before disappearing behind the bedroom door.

Emily looks up the stairs and shakes her head, forcefully taking a deep breath while ascending the steps so she can change since it’s nearing 1 A.M. and she’s ready to get comfortable. She takes a left and makes her way into the bedroom, fumbling through her drawers so she can pick out a simple t-shirt and shorts.

While the brunette gets dressed, she thinks about her earlier dance with the other girl and how _close_ they were to sharing their first kiss in so long ━ A.K.A. their first _genuine_ kiss since this whole thing began. Even only minutes ago, they were so close to connecting their lips ━ and Emily almost did just that, on her own ━ but Alison seems to enjoy the heavy tension between them, regardless of whether or not it's suffocating.

At the event, however, she could practically feel Alison’s lips against hers, more so than days prior, ready to blend the deep-red lipstick against her mouth before the girl backed up with those blue eyes staring at her with a gentle, slightly apologetic smirk. The look, alone, could've killed Emily. In fact, once they sat down at their previous table, Emily found herself glaring at their group of friends who remained at the bar for most of the night ━ with the exception of when she tried to sneak into the bathroom alone.

_“What are you doing?” CeCe all but hisses at Emily who’s about to enter the bathroom._

_Before the brunette can respond, the same blonde is pulling her into an adjacent room (more like a large coat closet) while Aria and Spencer follow with crossed arms. Emily turns around and looks at the other two girls, feeling absolutely cornered when all she wanted to do was hide in the bathroom and━_

_“Why haven’t you kissed her yet?” again, CeCe’s voice takes on a scolding tone and Emily’s eyes widen._

_“Did I say I was going to?” the brunette comes off dumbfounded before her words turn sarcastic. “If so, I don’t remember.”_

_“No,” Aria drawls, “but you really should. I told you to make a move.”_

_“Is this some kind of intervention?” Emily pointedly looks at each girl._

_“Yes, actually,” Spencer answers. “Em, do you not see how much she wants you to kiss her?”_

_“Ha, well,” the tanned girl starts with a curt laugh, “I think your constant staring kind of ruined the mood,” again, she looks at the three others, watching various, guilty expressions cover their faces._

_“But you’re going to get it back, right?” CeCe leans forward with raised eyebrows._

_“Get what back?” Emily furrows her eyebrows, sounding tired and confused._

_“The mood,” Aria answers with a hushed tone._

_“What?” she shakes her head. “No, I’m not. I don’t know what you people are up to, but, if I do kiss Alison, it’s when I want to and when we’re alone,” she emphasizes._

Once the words left her mouth, she could see three, nervous pairs of eyes staring back at her so she gave them a bitter, knowing smile before walking out. As she left the room, Aria turned to Spencer and CeCe while muttering, _“I think Alison’s sassiness is rubbing off on her,”_ as she received a solid, agreeing head nod from each friend.

Emily fixes her shirt and shorts in the mirror, feeling relieved now that she’s comfortable because the high-heeled boots she had been wearing were killing her legs while her outfit was overall too formal for her taste. Multiple, deep breaths are taken while she stands in front of the mirror, eyes closed as she mentally prepares to see Alison again because, for all she knows, they could be spending a few more hours on the couch watching movies and she has no idea how she’ll make it through that ━ _especially_ if she isn’t ballsy enough to make a move.

As she exits her bedroom, she rounds the short piece of wall and turns toward the stairs, casually walking down the steps at a slow yet steady rate. The sound echoes through the front hallway as all lights are off, including the ones in Alison’s bedroom and the brunette’s brown eyes notice that the door is open.

“Ali?” she peeks inside, not finding the girl anywhere and feeling nervous for a whole new reason.

As she turns her head to the left, her eyes stare into the kitchen and notice the back door cracked open as the porch light is on. A tiny smile creeps onto her face as she approaches the counter, now realizing there’s a folded note sitting upon the surface. At first, Emily hesitates when she feels her heart beating faster than normal, but she swallows hard and forces her shaking fingers to take the small piece of paper, eventually opening it and smiling big when she reads the message, the words _“Come find me”_ sitting next to a red-colored kiss stain.

She feels her nerves skyrocket for what feels like the hundredth time tonight, but she’d be lying if she said she’s not thrilled by whatever game the blonde is playing ━ except for the fact that this is usually how horror movies start out, which she quickly pushes out of her imagination. This “game” is new, that’s for sure, but it’s bold and perhaps refreshing since she hasn’t been the most fun person for a while now. Alison is _definitely_ keeping her busy but, at this point, Emily wouldn’t have it any other way and she’s more than happy to be able to see the blonde day in and day out.

Without lingering in the kitchen for too much longer, her hand reaches for the sliding door and opens it further, afterwards stepping onto the back porch while closing the glass barrier behind her body. Brown eyes search the yard as she listens, not seeing or hearing anything.

“Alison?” she whispers, still looking around while walking down the few stairs to end up on the grass.

Emily comes to a standstill within seconds, eyes scanning the area as she turns around. When she hears water moving within Toby’s backyard, however, her former smile reappears but her eyes narrow.

She walks over to the next yard, slowly opening the gate as Alison comes into view, arms folded as she leans on the side of the in-ground pool within the water, a smirk covering her mouth. Emily chuckles at the sight, standing five feet away while tilting her head.

The blonde licks her lips while looking up at the girl, “Well, you found me,” the same smirk makes another appearance. “Now, join me.”

A small groan passes Emily’s lips, “I just got comfy, Ali. I don’t want to go put my suit on.”

“I don’t want you to, either,” she raises her eyebrows, gaze floating to the small pile of clothes near a lounge chair, silently hinting.

Emily's focus lands upon the girl’s underwear and strapless bra resting on the seat, afterwards turning back to Alison whose attitude is daring. The brunette’s lips part and she doesn’t know what to respond, suddenly feeling like she’s gotten more than she bargained for when she went searching for Alison.

“Alison, I’m not…” her voice trails off and she shakes her head a fraction. “If Toby finds me skinny dipping in his pool, he’ll━”

“Videotape it, probably,” Alison arches an eyebrow. “I don’t even think he’s home, Em. He went back to Spencer’s, remember?”

No response as the girl bites her inner cheek.

“Come on,” Alison emphatically licks her lips, “I think we both could use a little cooling-off, don't you agree?”

Again, the brunette’s lips part but no words come out, looking conflicted.

The blonde pushes herself away from the wall and swims backwards with a smug grin and convincing voice, “You know you want to.”

Emily can’t stop her gaze from flickering to the water, not being able to see anything below Alison’s collarbones as blue eyes stare at her. The brunette breathes out a shaky groan soon after, looking around the yard in order to find a darker area even though the space is already pretty much black aside from the moonlight and the faint yellow streaks from their back porch light.

With a deep breath, her feet take her over to a tree in the corner of the yard, practically pressed against the fence so the shadow casts over the edge of the pool. Once standing there, the girl takes her shirt off, followed by her shorts.

“Is that _really_ necessary?” Alison’s lips curve into a smirk from where she floats in the water, body still hidden within the darkness as she watches Emily undress. “It’s not like I haven’t seen you naked before.”

“Yeah, but you don’t exactly _remember_ seeing me naked, so,” her motions pause, having undone the bra that still clings to her skin.

“I will tonight,” comes the blonde’s response, eyes intentionally roaming Emily’s figure.

The brunette clears her throat but moves behind the tree as Alison rolls her eyes, chuckling at the girl’s blatant nerves and shyness. Emily removes her bra and tosses it near the pool, earning an arched eyebrow from Alison who waits, somewhat swimming over to the edge of the pool to see if she can be a pain and peek at the girl again. Her blue eyes watch Emily’s underwear land on top of the pile, another smile covering her mouth, in the meantime.

“I can’t believe you’re making me do this,” Alison hears a quiet, incredulous laugh come from behind the tree, lost in darkness.

“I’m not making you do anything,” she throws back with a defensive, amused voice. “All I said was━”

Alison is cut off by Emily who dives into the water before the blonde can blink, emerging a few seconds later and fixing her hair as the girl laughs on the other side of the pool.

“Mhm, _there’s_ the star swimmer I once knew,” Alison teases as she moves around, forcefully keeping herself away from Emily who swims to where the blonde was formerly floating.

Emily shakes her head with a never-disappearing smile, quickly finding her shed clothing and moving the items to the chair next to Alison’s bra and underwear.

“See,” Alison starts, “that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

A pointed look is shot her way, getting a head tilt and seductive wink, in response.

Emily stares up at the moon, getting distracted because it’s pretty damn prominent tonight. The blonde does the same, admiring the clear sky and stars, as well as the warm, night air.

“It’s perfect for a late-night swim,” again, Alison speaks, now leaning back against the pool wall across from Emily.

“You mean… the perfect night to go skinny dipping?”

“Mm, I guess,” the blonde shrugs with a smile. “I wouldn’t have asked anyone else to come skinny dipping with me, though.”

“ _Really_? I thought you did this often,” Emily challenges, watching Alison roll her eyes.

“Ha- _ha_ ,” Alison makes a face. “Don’t mock me too much, baby. You _may_ regret it,” her voice takes on a coy tone.

“What are you gonna do?” she pushes her luck, smirking as she mimics Alison’s position by leaning back against the pool’s opposite wall, closest to the yard’s gate, while water covers the very start of her breasts and everything beneath.

“I have a few things in mind.”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

“Where's the fun in that?”

“Oh, don’t pretend you wouldn’t enjoy watching me suffer while I know _exactly_ what you’re planning on doing,” Emily smirks heavily when Alison looks stunned by the rebuttal, rubbing her lips together deliberately before choking out a small laugh.

“ _Okay_ , well played,” the blonde purses her lips. “I’m impressed.”

“Looks like someone can actually admit defeat,” she tilts her head to the side, feeling like she’s gaining the upper hand after being the prey for what seems like days.

“Don’t get used to it.”

Emily watches her with curious eyes, her smug gaze turning softer by each, passing second. Alison’s smile becomes shy while attempting to stop herself from looking so love-drunk as she stares back at the brunette, failing miserably while she glances at the water beneath the girl’s chest, hearing a timid chuckle come from Emily because they both suck at being subtle.

“Can I ask you something?” Emily speaks quietly as she keeps herself afloat by leaning against the wall, hands playing with the water while staring at the space that divides them.

“Mhm,” her hum is light and comforting.

“What do you remember from that night?” her eyes briefly glance at Alison, quickly darting back to the dark water.

Initially, the blonde’s demeanor comes off as being taken aback, not expecting the question ━ though a part of her had been wondering when Emily would ask. She allows the question to linger, her thoughts swirling inside her mind because there’s just so much to say in general, but she has no idea _how_ to say what she’s thinking and/or what she remembers from that night.

Finally, Alison breathes out with a sad laugh after hesitating for an extended period of time, “Not much, unfortunately. I wish I did,” her voice ends in a quiet tone. “I remember… most things up until we got further into the suite. After that… it’s patchy. I _do_ remember _some_ things, but…”

Emily notes her regretful features.

She continues, “When I close my eyes, I feel like I can remember much more… almost like I can see the hallway leading to the chapel, but I don't know what's real,” her explanation is vague but Emily doesn't push further.

The brunette looks somewhat let down, nodding as she bites her lower lip because she really wants to remember more from that night but can’t. Sadly, neither of them can force themselves to, but Emily has somehow managed to formulate a more vivid memory than Alison has come up with, even if she hasn’t shared the information with the blonde. She wants to remember how they got together, in all honesty, because maybe it’d help her sort out her current, meshed-up thoughts. Certain words have caused her to flash back in the past, so, in the end, all she hopes for is something that does the same with this particular memory. She breathes out, forcing herself to clear her mind.

When the other girl sees her new, let-down attitude, she pushes herself into making a big decision, determined to change the subject into something much lighter.

“Personally,” Alison smiles suddenly, her voice low, “I think what I remember feeling _before_ we got drunk is more interesting.”

Emily studies her face, noting the girl’s now-nervous demeanor, replacing her former, hesitant body language.

She continues as she pushes herself away from the wall, kind of walking over to Emily at an unnoticeable rate, “I remember how I felt when we were so at-odds with each other at the beginning of the night and even the day before. I felt… _targeted_. Regretful, too,” she takes a deep breath. “But, once we sat down and had our first drink, I felt like we were reconnecting. Kind of like… you were open to starting over.”

Still, the brunette listens, paying attention to the girl’s words because they sound as reminiscent as the ones Alison spoke while discussing her favorite vacation house.

“I wanted to get to know you again,” Alison confesses with a tiny grin, moving closer. “In that moment, I just thought, ‘Damn, I really wish I could make Emily change her mind about me. I really wish I would make everything up to her,’” the last statement is whispered.

Emily flashes her a nerve-stricken, lovable smile, finally noticing that the girl is only six feet away.

“Then, after our second drink, I found myself growing attached to you. Like always, I wouldn’t let myself admit it, but I knew I was. I felt…” she shakes her head while biting her lower lip.

“I wanted to kiss you,” the blonde’s voice ends in another whisper, her movements coming to a stop when she’s two feet away from Emily who feels taken aback by the information, though she doesn’t show it.

“Just like I wanted to kiss you tonight,” Alison’s eyes struggle to stay level with the other girl’s, again moving closer until they’re less than a foot away and Emily is fully pressed against the pool wall.

Alison licks her lips before continuing with an even-softer voice, being barely audible, “And I think I still do.”

Emily feels like she’s about to pass out as she has a hard time focusing just as much because she’s fully pressed against the cool, tiled wall of the pool while Alison’s body heat is practically radiating onto her skin from only inches away.

“Then why haven’t you?” she manages to get out, albeit her words are pretty shaky.

A tiny smirk tugs at the corner of Alison’s lips as she moves closer, standing on the tips of her toes so she can maneuver her way between the brunette’s legs within the water.

“Can I?” the blonde whispers as she’s roughly three inches away from the girl’s mouth, feeling the need to ask.

“Always,” Emily only mouths the word.

Slowly, the short gap between them closes and, before they realize it, their lips briefly brush against each other, barely being noticeable but still enough to feel once the tickling sensation moves across their soft skin. Alison backs up an inch, suddenly feeling like she’s freezing up, and Emily’s eyes flicker open to meet blue for a millisecond.

Deciding to take matters into her own hands because she’s tired of waiting, Emily leans in to press her lips against Alison’s more than before, her movements holding a gentle yet wanting nature. Their lips fully meet for the first time in what feels like forever, causing both girls to nearly breathe out at the feeling ━ and realization. The cautious, elongated peck only lasts a number of seconds, but it feels completely blissful and the two girls never want the moment to end. Once their lips reluctantly and slowly break apart, it takes everything in Emily’s power to back up in order to look into blue eyes. She manages, however, and they make lidded eye contact for merely a second because, once Emily sees a faint smile creeping onto Alison’s face, the blonde leans back in and immediately kisses her harder with a sensual tinge that leaves them both breathless. Meanwhile, Emily’s hands absentmindedly move to carefully hold onto Alison’s waist as the water surrounding them moves back and forth whenever they shift, causing a subtle, splashing sound to fill the air.  

Soon, they’re kissing at a steady rate and Alison is pushing her body against Emily who remains pinned to the wall, feeling their bare skin clash while the brunette holds the girl up so they stay afloat. Alison’s left hand grips the edge of the pool behind Emily’s head, her other hand cupping the girl’s jaw while they kiss heavily and rarely depart.

Minutes pass and Alison’s tongue drags along Emily’s lower lip, begging to go further as the brunette does the same, reveling in the sensation of heatedly kissing the girl who keeps her pressed against the pool wall while the water feels like it’s on fire. The blonde’s right hand drifts to the back of Emily’s neck, sometimes scraping at the skin beneath her fingertips as the brunette pulls Alison’s body closer so the girl’s practically straddling her lower torso while staying afloat. A soft, satisfied moan makes its way out of Alison’s throat, finally feeling the effects of making out with the girl she’s wanted to kiss for a while now ━ not to mention the fact that they’re completely naked and Emily’s hands keep wandering.

So, when Alison can’t stop a small whimper from falling past her lips as a result of Emily’s nails gently gliding across her lower back, she forces herself to offer one, final kiss to the girl’s mouth before backing up because she's about to lose control. Emily’s dark eyes open seconds later, feeling high from the entire counter, and she does her best to focus on Alison who wears a semi-hidden smirk while keeping only inches between them. Once she’s able to solidly stare at Alison, Emily attempts to even her breathing, though her legs shake because the weight of the situation is finally hitting her and, God, it’s becoming distracting. She bites her lower lip at the thought, studying the blonde who stares back at her with a focus that’s equally as wanting.

“Close your eyes,” the blonde suddenly instructs with a whisper, wondering how she can speak evenly because her body feels like it’s non-existent.

Emily looks at her without showing any signs of hesitation, though she allows the direction to linger in the air for five seconds longer. Trusting Alison enough to do as she’s told, her eyes flutter shut and the other girl smiles.

“Keep them closed,” Alison says in the same, low voice, only looking at the brunette in front of her.

She hears a quiet, deep breath pass Emily’s lips and moves closer, partly pressing her body against the tanned girl’s. She studies the brunette’s features and licks her lips in the process, wishing they could stay this way forever. Without wasting another second, however, Alison cups Emily’s jaw with both hands and kisses her with an underlying passion that’s enough to pull a breathy moan from the brunette’s throat. Similarly, Alison senses the mounting tension between them and wants to fix her frustrations, but attempts to control the situation when she feels heat rushing between her legs within the small waves of the chilly water. So, in the end, Alison goes ahead with what she does best; she gains the upper hand.

Within seconds, her teeth latch onto Emily’s bottom lip and tug with a seductive pressure that matches the low moan she allows to leave her throat, afterwards letting go before she swims away. Feeling stunned, the brunette’s eyes stay shut while her mouth opens as a reaction to the sensation and sound, her hands pressed flat against the wall behind her. Once she manages to open her eyes and blink hard, Alison is no longer in front of her, nor is she in the pool at all.

With narrowed eyes, Emily cautiously turns around to focus on Alison who now stands near the lounge chair with a smirk and a towel wrapped around her torso. When Emily sees Alison holding both piles of their things, however, her expression morphs from questioning to fearful, eyes widening.

“Don’t worry, I brought you a towel too,” Alison tosses a medium-sized dishrag at the brunette who can’t react quickly enough, only partially saving it as a corner of the fabric hits the water.

The blonde winks before backing up, attempting to get away as fast as possible because Emily is pulling herself out of the pool not even seconds after the girl bolts out of Toby’s yard.

As Emily comes within ten feet of Alison, covering herself as much as possible, the blonde looks around the yard frantically, but, before the brunette can get out any words, her clothes are tossed into the tree that resides between their yard and Toby’s, and her brown eyes widen as her mouth hangs open.

Alison deviously laughs with her tongue pressed against her inner cheek when she sees the expression, immediately running away when Emily turns to her with frustrated features and wide eyes. The blonde gets up the steps without slipping (which, honestly, she’s shocked about), throws the door open, and slides across the kitchen while holding her towel against her chest.

Just as Emily is within five feet of her, Alison reaches her bedroom door and turns around abruptly, coming face to face with the brunette who looks completely out-of-sorts with the small dishrag covering her stomach and down while her other arm hides her chest ━ _barely_. Her blue eyes deliberately roam Emily’s body, afterwards looking at her with sealed lips that hide a smile as the tanned girl swallows hard and opens her mouth like she wants to say something. When no words come from Emily’s lips, Alison smiles.

“I’ve been thinking…” Alison hums, squinting her eyes as she tilts her head, “I want to spend some time with you. Like… some real, _quality_ time.”

Emily arches an eyebrow, still irritated about what recently transpired as she attempts to re-cover herself with the kitchen dishtowel. She should’ve known this would happen, especially because they’ve been trying to get the best of each other for so long now. Her mouth opens and closes again, not being able to formulate any words because her mind is practically still in the pool ever since that kiss ━ A.K.A. the moment she’d love to relive again and again.

“Can we do it tomorrow?” the blonde questions with a straight face and the other girl’s eyes widen when she loses track of the conversation.

“What?” she nearly squeaks when she doesn’t register the question correctly.

“Can I have you all to myself tomorrow?” the girl makes a face, though a tiny grin tugs at the corner of her lips because she knows what the brunette’s thinking.

Emily stares at her, soon nodding as much as she can because she still can’t speak.

“Good,” Alison’s eyes drift downwards and intentionally admire the girl’s body when Emily presses the small towel further against her skin.

The blonde smirks heavily as she locks eyes with brown once again, taking a step forward while keeping a devilish look on her face. Emily’s posture seems to stiffen when more distance between them is erased, drawing a laugh from Alison who lightly places her right hand on the side of the brunette’s neck and leans in to press a lingering, goodnight kiss to the girl’s mouth. Without taking a full step back, she drags her hand upwards to rub her thumb along Emily’s lower lip while smiling with an underlying, teasing attitude, slowly leaning toward the girl’s ear to taunt, “I told you I’d remember seeing you naked tonight,” making the brunette noticeably swallow hard.

When Alison finally backs up, her features are much less seductive and far more playful, casually whispering, “You might want to put some clothes on,” before softly latching her bedroom door, leaving Emily in the hallway ━ naked and _confused_.

She wants to groan at the whole situation and, realistically, she probably does, but she’s on autopilot now and her legs bring her up the stairs quickly so she can get dressed.

Emily shakes her head as she enters her moonlit bedroom, rubbing at her eye sockets because that was a _complete_ whirlwind and she’s surprised she didn’t pass out while kissing Alison’s soft lips.

Her hands rummage through her drawers within minutes, eventually finding an outfit to sleep in while pulling the items over her sticky body. She grunts at the sensation but, again, her mind floats back to Alison and how heated their make out session grew. If both girls are being honest, they didn’t want to stop and, sure, they were able to, but who knows if they’ll keep control when it happens again. One thing’s for sure: it won’t be any easier next time their lips connect, especially because Emily almost fell apart when she heard those satisfied noises come from Alison’s throat.

Her brown eyes glance in the mirror’s direction and she walks up to the object, quietly laughing and rolling her eyes when she can make out the faint remnants of Alison’s red lipstick on the corners of her mouth. She wipes it away as much as she can, still looking amused.

Backing up, the brunette sits on the edge of her bed and lies down against the comforter, just staring at the ceiling as she thinks about the night’s events. Before she can get too far into her thoughts, however, her phone lights up the ceiling as it rests on the bedside table.

Of course it’s a text from Alison, Emily thinks as she smiles and sees the contact name. When she views its contents, however, her mouth opens and she quickly looks away, feeling a lump in her throat because her eyes catch sight of a not-so-innocent photo of the blonde lying on her side, bed sheets _hardly_ covering her naked chest with her bottom lip snagged between her teeth while smiling a bit. Emily eyes the teasing caption, _“Sweet dreams,”_ followed by a kiss-mark emoji, having to blink multiple times before breathing out and lying down again, wishing the ceiling would consume her because she’s never going to be able to sleep now. In the end, she can only think of one thing: Alison will, undoubtedly, be the death of her ━ but in the best, possible way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here lies Emily. She ain't dead yet, but she may as well be━
> 
> No, but seriously, was that kiss worth the wait, or nah?
> 
> What you may have noticed transitioning from the last chapter to this one is that Ch 12 was far more lustful (and that's saying something because damn), whereas this update was very lovable and timid. In Ch 12, we saw Emily and Alison nearly kiss without thinking (which followed some teasing), but here we watched them have plenty of opportunities, only to get consumed by nerves before either smiling to break the tension or full-on walking away. That's a good thing because it means their relationship isn't solely built on attraction but ideal opportunities and conversation (as seen in the pool when Alison actually asked for permission to kiss her); there's certainly something deeper between them, and there always has been. On the other hand, this chapter certainly had its fair share of lust and sexual tension, which will be resolved very, very, very soon ━ you're welcome. So, I have to ask, am I doing okay with this "warm n soft" to "hot n heavy" ratio? I'm having way too much fun writing these little gestures, mixed in with Alison's teasing. Ahhh.
> 
> And again… lots to talk about, but we'll start with Alison's confession right before they kissed: "Then, after our second drink, I found myself growing attached to you. Like always, I wouldn't let myself admit it, but I knew I was," followed by, "I wanted to kiss you." It's something that's pretty nice to hear because now, if you go back to Ch 2 and read their tension-infused interaction, it has a different meaning. Now, since Alison wanted to kiss Emily (in Vegas) while near-sober, I suppose it's safe to assume that there's something deeper ━ something we'll need an eventual flashback for. Nevertheless, do you think she (clearly) remembers more from that drunken night in Vegas? Like Emily (internally) said… words can be triggering for one's memory.
> 
> Their friends are relentless, can't you tell? It's good, though. We saw Aria finally (metaphorically) hitting Emily over the head with a brick while saying, "You're thinking way too much," since Emily's just about ready to buy the book titled "How to Ask Your Wife If You Can Stay Married Without Sounding Weird: For Dummies." At least it appears that she's considering the idea, or somewhat swirling it around in her mind. ━ On Alison's end, who guessed this Hannily thing would come back around? A bunch of you did, at the beginning. Luckily (unless you enjoy the angry type of jealousy), Alison trusts them and she let the thought escape her mind while focusing on doing something "bold and Ali-like." Way to follow through, Ali. On a more-serious note, she almost, flat-out admitted to loving Emily ━ A.K.A. another step in the right direction.
> 
> Ch 14 is going to be a building-block, of sorts, and there will be some tiny dialogue pieces that will act as springboards to get the ball rolling even faster as we near the end (which, wow, I can't believe we're already close) ━ and, yes, six chapters (disregarding the epilogue) 'til the end is "close," in my mind. A heads-up as we wrap this story, though: We can't have all sunshine and rainbows without a sudden storm, so keep an eye out. Either way, you know I'll always make Emison endgame and I'll never rush their development ━ nor will I leave you with a giant cliffhanger because that's just maniacal.
> 
> Next update: Tuesday, the latest (oh, look at that… a lengthy chapter to match episode 7x12 of PLL).
> 
> Again, hope this chapter lived up to your expectations and, if not, we still have the rest of the story, so sit tight. Until Ch 14, my friends, you can find me here (and bury me in comments/reviews), or I'll always be available on Tumblr ("capn-charlie") for anons, actual messages, etc. Have a nice end of the week, you beautiful people.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Charlie is early YET AGAIN━
> 
> Because of my tendency to early update *side-eyeing self*, according to the "new" schedule (pronounced szche-dzual), this story is set to end on May 27th (which is the day after I get my leg tattoo partly colored, ayeee). Who knows, though. With the rate I'm going regarding my early-updating habit, we could be done by last week. Cue the Emily Fields eye-roll from 7x11.
> 
> It sounds like ya'll combusted after last chapter. Excellent.  
> Well, sorta.
> 
> This chapter practically throws you straight into the tension, so good luck, have fun, breathe deeply, remember the little pieces of dialogue, etc. Also, I know some of you dedicated followers tend to read in public places and, with this one, I give you props if you do your usual.
> 
> *Cuts caution tape with sword*

“When’s the last time you used the pool table?” Alison chuckles as she follows the girl upstairs, not caring enough to stop checking Emily out because the pair of ripped jeans she’s wearing have become the blonde’s absolute favorite. 

“Um,” Emily hums as she makes it to the landing, turning to the right, “I don’t remember, actually.”

She walks over to the wall switch and turns the room’s overhead lights on, illuminating most open parts of the second floor. Alison follows, simply scoping out the room since it’s bigger than it looks at first glance, soon noting a small, wooden bar pushed into the corner of the main space. She snickers at the piece of furniture, earning a questioning look from Emily who follows her line of sight until she remembers the compact bar that Toby’s friend threw into the deal when he gave the brunette his old billiards table.

“And when’s the last time you used  _ that _ ?” Alison gestures to the bar, smiling heavily when Emily rolls her eyes.

“Same answer as before,” she shakes her head and moves over to the rack that holds the pool table’s equipment. “The alcohol isn’t old, though, if you’d like some,” she smirks even though she isn’t facing Alison, knowing full well that the girl is likely ( _ definitely _ ) shooting her a pointed look. 

It’s currently 8:34 P.M. and the two have been enjoying their Saturday together, having spent every minute at each other’s side since waking up ━ much to Emily’s surprise, once she had opened her eyes.

_ The brunette begins to stir within her sheets, the harsh sunlight hitting her in the face since she had forgotten to shut her curtains before falling asleep. Her eyes try to stay sealed but the red color coming through her eyelids is way too annoying, so she rolls onto her back with a groan, having been facing the window for most of the night because lying on her side was the only way she could control her━ _

_ At the thought, another, soft groan comes from her throat and she rubs her eyes. _

_ “Good morning, sleepy head,” Alison’s voice being a couple of inches away from her ear makes her jump, getting a giggle from the blonde. _

_ “Jesus, Ali,” the brunette fully covers her eyes with both hands. _

_ “What? You don’t like waking up to me in your bed?” she smirks. _

_ “You know that’s not it,” Emily’s voice is obvious and she uncovers her eyes, not offering any sort of smile as she stares at the ceiling. _

_ “So you do like me in your bed?” Alison tries, brushing a few strands of hair out of Emily’s face as the girl’s brown eyes continue to stare at the ceiling, a tiny laugh falling from her lips instead of giving the blonde a solid answer. _

_ Blue eyes stare at Emily for an extended amount of time, though the brunette doesn’t realize that they keep drifting down to her lips. Her own eyes slam shut for another cluster of seconds, still attempting to wake up further, and the blonde watches her with a tinge of admiration and longing.  _

_ Once another minute passes, the blonde rubs her lips together before leaning in to shyly kiss the corner of Emily’s mouth with two, deliberate pecks, not wanting to fully kiss her on the lips because she may lose control right then and there. When she backs up seconds later, she’s only inches away and offers a tiny smile while Emily seems speechless. _

_ “Come on, get up,” the blonde’s voice is quiet while she sits up, snatching the covers away from Emily as much as possible. _

_ The brunette attempts to grab them back so she can curl up again but, when Alison says, “No, no,” with a taunting voice, she emphatically groans and mimics the other girl’s sitting position. _

_ “Please,” Alison pouts suddenly, “our breakfast is downstairs and I’ve been waiting for you.” _

_ “Wow,” Emily’s tone is full of fake-shock as she teases. “You didn’t want me to make us breakfast?” _

_ “Mm, it’s your turn tomorrow morning,” Alison smiles, tilting her head to the side as Emily breathes out a laugh and forces herself out of bed.  _

_ “Okay, deal,” she mirrors the smile while walking away from Alison who remains sitting on the bed. _

_ When she doesn’t hear the blonde following, she turns around with an expectant “Well?” _

_ “I think I’ll just…” Alison lies down and cuddles up to Emily’s pillow, “stay here for a little bit longer.” _

_ Although Emily enjoys the simple sight more than she should with a subtle lip-bite, she ends up clearing her throat before speaking with a lecturing tone. _

_ “Don’t make me get the water pitcher,” comes the smirk, being given a pair of wide eyes until they narrow in warning. _

After that, Emily trotted downstairs with Alison in tow. They made their way into the kitchen as the brunette stretched, being admired from behind at the time until she turned around to catch blue eyes staring at her with a tiny, barely noticeable smirk. 

Upon seeing a brown, paper bag adorned with Alison’s workplace’s,  _ “The Boston Cafe” _ logo sitting on the kitchen island, Emily chuckled and felt her cheeks warming up at the thought of the blonde going to work on her day off just to get them breakfast. It’s cute, she thought as she stared at the counter, then heard Alison clear her throat while sitting at the breakfast table. When she turned around, her eyes spotted a brown cup from the same cafe, immediately putting another smile on her face.

_ “Ali, you didn’t have to go to your work on a Saturday. It’s your day off,” Emily says although she still has a grin on her face, bringing the bag of freshly baked croissants to the table and placing it in the center.  _

_ “I figured I owed you for last night,” Alison bites her lip with a mischievous demeanor and the brunette rolls her eyes because, yeah, now she agrees. _

_ She continues as Emily gets situated, “And I need you to be fully awake for our day together.” _

_ “Oh, we’re still doing that?” comes her response, attempting to keep a straight face but failing miserably once Alison’s eyebrows raise in warning. _

They ate in silence for the most part, only being interrupted by Emily who repeatedly thanked the other girl for breakfast, constantly being reminded,  _ “I look forward to seeing what you come up with for tomorrow’s breakfast,”  _ by the blonde who smiled. Each time, the brunette tried to seal her lips when she felt herself blushing, but the other girl didn't mention it. Instead, at one point, she changed the subject.

_ “You never replied to me last night,” Alison points out while sipping her coffee, having finished her food. _

_ At the comment, Emily stops chewing and glances at the blonde, internally thinking about how it was intentional because she couldn’t figure out a reply and her hormones were eating her brain all throughout the night. Honestly, she kept catching herself peeking at the picture (even if it was “unintentional” while going to check social media), and it was never deleted from their conversation ━ which, God, the brunette hopes the other girl doesn’t steal her phone and go through their messages. It clouded her mind until she fell asleep and, even when she slept, the blonde was in her dreams ━ though she wore more clothing, Emily notes and wants to breathe out in relief because otherwise━  _

_ “Didn’t like the surprise?” the blonde asks even though she wears a knowing grin, rubbing her lips together after taking another sip of coffee. _

_ Emily’s eyes widen as she looks at the warm cup between her hands, lowly muttering, “That’s definitely not the reason why.” _

_ “You should’ve responded,” the girl speaks casually. “I had more to send.” _

_ The brunette barely looks at her, not wanting to because, if she does, she may melt. _

_ Alison bites her bottom lip and continues, “We could've had some fun. I didn’t fall asleep for a while.” _

Really, Emily has no idea how she’s made it through the day with Alison ━  _ especially  _ after those comments. The conversation played in her mind over and over again, even while they watched movies and went to dinner at a casual restaurant down the road. Everything went smoothly, however, and it shocks Emily since she hasn’t stuttered and/or stumbled on what she’s saying ━ not once. Actually, they’ve both had a great time, even though they haven’t spoken about last night’s kisses nor the pecks from this morning when Alison woke her up. Sure, it confuses the brunette because, well, Alison is still acting as if she wants to pursue something, but the girl hasn’t even attempted to make anything happen today, so Emily’s simply gone with the flow throughout the night, determined to keep the blonde as happy as possible.

It hasn’t been  _ completely _ easy, on the other hand, because Alison’s outfit has been distracting for most of the night; before they went out to eat, the blonde decided to change into a pair of  _ really  _ short jean shorts and a tank top, fixing her hair so it’s pulled to one side. Sometime during the day, Alison had painted her nails a royal blue color, being most prominent while under dimmed lighting, as well as colored Emily’s nails with a jet-black polish ━ which, during the process, the two exchanged very close, breath-halting glances. 

Upon seeing the entire outfit, the words in Emily’s throat died within seconds, ultimately leaving the brunette to stare at the girl whose eyes roamed equally as much when she saw the tanned girl’s ensemble: a t-shirt with a long v-neck accompanied by ripped jeans and hair falling down her shoulders.

Alison clears her throat as she leans on the black-felt pool table, tilting her head as she raises an eyebrow at Emily who’s been lost in her thoughts for about two minutes now. The brunette blinks hard and shakes her head, wanting to smack herself for absentmindedly staring at the other girl for an extended amount of time.

“So,” Emily bites her lower lip and walks back over to the rack, picking up a pool cue and handing it to Alison, “do you know how to play?”

The blonde rolls her eyes, “Yes, I do.”

“Do you know how to answer questions  _ without  _ being sassy? Just curious,” comes the other girl’s pointed look and expectant eyes.

“Of course I do,” she scoffs and makes a face.

“I’ll take that as a no,” Emily turns around again, being glared at while she gets her own pool cue.

“Don’t ask so many questions, then,” Alison shrugs, blinking innocently when Emily faces her before beginning to prepare the table, racking the pool balls in order.

The brunette leans down and makes sure the rack is centered, partially sticking her tongue out and measuring with her eyes. Alison’s focus shifts to the girl’s body language, beginning to sense her mind wandering toward some not-so-innocent places so, until Emily finishes, the blonde turns away and looks at the rest of the room. She scans the other corner of the “game room,” eyes landing upon a loveseat across from a spare, flat-screen TV and two, tall speakers. Alison nods, more so to herself, before turning to face Emily who gets caught with her eyes a little too low. 

“Sorry, do you want me to turn back around?” Alison puts her on the spot, hearing a deep breath come from Emily who instantly looks away.

The brunette clears her throat without looking at the girl, “Do you want me to break, or…?”

“I’ll do it,” Alison approaches the table, holding her cue with sturdy hands as Emily watches, narrowing her eyes slightly because the girl looks so in-tune with what she’s doing.

The cue ball is shot against the triangle-arranged group of pool balls, hitting them in various directions as Emily watches two solids fall into different pockets. Alison looks at the brunette and raises an eyebrow, silently bragging about the shot before scoping out the playing field and leaning down again. She bites her lower lip while lining up the cue ball with the solid, red three, successfully sinking the shot and using the same, boasting expression as before. Emily rolls her eyes and watches as she stands near the table. 

Alison, upon scouting the orbs on the black-felt, moves over to where Emily lingers, forcefully shimmying her body into the spot between the brunette and the table. She pays attention to what she’s doing as Emily swallows hard, being barely two inches behind Alison who lines up to take another turn. As the blonde carefully pulls her cue back to hit the ball forward, Emily smacks her ass and Alison jumps, accidentally hitting a striped ball which slowly rolls until it sinks with a thud. She turns around to face Emily, jaw clenched with accusing eyes as the brunette smiles sheepishly, taking a step back.

“Remember what I said about how I always win?” the blonde looks around and nods, more so to herself as the other girl watches her with a nervous grin. “Yeah, you just wait,” she warns with a bitter smile, emphatically waving her arm toward the table so Emily can take her turn.

The brunette approaches the table on the other side of where Alison stands, making sure to glance at the blonde a couple of times before leaning down and getting into position to take the shot. She hits the ball with ease, bouncing it off the wall so it knocks another stripe into a corner pocket. Alison rolls her eyes from where she waits, noting how the girl could have  _ very _ easily knocked the ball in without bouncing it off a wall; clearly, Emily just wants to show off. Next, the girl moves a step to her left, set on knocking the purple, striped ball into the pocket ahead ━ and she does, immediately watching the cue ball spin in place so it’s perfectly set behind another stripe. Alison breathes out, getting a cunning, obvious chuckle from Emily who sinks that ball as well.

When her brown eyes notice that she needs to walk near where Alison is standing in order to make the rest of her shots, her mouth opens and closes, earning a taunting “What’s the matter?” from the blonde who tilts her head and seals her lips expectantly.

Emily forces a smile and walks over to where Alison stands, casually sliding between the table and the girl who waits for her opportunity to mess with the brunette’s turn. When Emily stands with her back toward the table while facing Alison, however, the blonde watches the girl adjust the pool cue behind her back so it’s lined up with the wall, focused on getting rid of the striped, yellow nine. When Alison sees that Emily’s likely done this before, she decides to take a step closer, coming to a standstill with one leg between the girl’s thighs and shuffling forward so the brunette can feel it. While the blonde’s fingertips nearly wander beneath the girl’s shirt, Emily tries to pay attention to what she’s doing while looking into blue eyes that stare back at her ━ aside from when Alison’s gaze flickers downwards with a sly lip-bite in hopes it’ll throw the brunette off.

It doesn’t, in the end, and Emily only has two more balls to sink before the black eight-ball, hearing a dissatisfied grunt come from Alison who backs up with crossed arms, steadying her pool cue against her body as Emily bounces her eyebrows, in response.

She moves a few steps to the left, surveying the paths that she can take in order to avoid Alison’s remaining solids. Emily leans down, back facing Alison who approaches quickly, only to see the brunette turn around before she can do anything. Brown eyes narrow at the blonde who tries to not look guilty, only working when Alison tilts her head to the side with a seductive wink that makes Emily flatly hum. 

Emily faces the table again, getting back into position as Alison does the same as before, walking up behind the brunette until her front is pressed against the girl’s backside. Emily ignores the sudden embrace, however, completely staying focused while Alison’s arms wrap around her front. She makes another shot within seconds, leaving one last ball to knock into the pocket as Alison gets out a dull “Seriously?”

“Contrary to  _ your  _ belief,” Emily turns around with a firm head nod, “I don’t give up that easily.”

“We’ll see about that,” Alison challenges, tongue pressed against her cheek afterwards while allowing herself to drown in brown eyes. 

The other girl walks away, not wasting another second before the green stripe is knocked in, leaving the eight-ball for her last shot. Emily glances at Alison triumphantly, smiling a bit as the blonde rolls her eyes.

“Take the damn shot so we can start a new game,” the blonde demands, pointing at the black ball with raised eyebrows.

“Who says we’re playing again?” Emily teases, partially leaning on her pool cue.

“Oh, we’re  _ definitely  _ playing again,” Alison dares.

“What if I don’t want to?”

“I don’t really care,” the girl blinks innocently, offering her best “deal with it” expression before Emily laughs, shakes her head, and leans down to finish the game ━ which, within seconds, she does.

“I’m sorry,” the brunette backs up, “what was that about you always winning?”

“Cocky doesn’t look good on you, baby,” Alison comments with a sickeningly sweet voice. “Set it up,” she looks at the table, then back at Emily who narrows her eyes.

She does as told for the sake of crushing Alison for a second time, eager to gain some form of constant victory because the blonde seems to be having a great time keeping the upper hand when it comes to snappy come-backs.

“Why don’t we make this more interesting?” comes Alison’s next suggestion, head tilted to the side as she looks at the wall somewhere in front of her.

When she hears the words, Emily wants to groan because, with her luck, Alison will propose the idea of something  _ insanely  _ out of her league. Instead, she continues re-racking the pool balls in proper order, only partly glancing in the blonde’s direction so she speaks again.

“How about we play truth or dare?” Alison tries with a raised eyebrow and tiny smirk.

Emily grunts, “I suck at coming up with dares.”

“More fun for me, then.”

“No,” the brunette shakes her head with a laugh, straightening her back out once she’s finished. “How about… we just exchange truths?”

Alison rolls her eyes, “But what if I don’t want to answer honestly? I need a second option.”

“Fine,” the girl looks around, eyes catching sight of the small, barely used bar pushed into the corner of the room. “Truth or drink.”

“Truth or  _ drink _ ?” the blonde looks amused, nearly snorting at the title.

“Either you answer honestly or you take a shot.”

“Why do you keep trying to get me drunk?” she teases while tilting her head like before, drawing a chuckle from the brunette.

“I’m not, but that’s your second option. Honesty or alcohol,” Emily crosses her arms with a cunning grin. “If you want to remember tonight, I’d suggest you tell the truth.”

Alison narrows her eyes in challenge, afterwards licking her lips deliberately and nodding. 

“You’re on,” she shifts her jaw finally. “Start the game and I’ll think of your first question.”

“I didn’t say you’re going first.”

“ _ Yeah _ , but you didn’t say I’m  _ not _ going first, so I made the decision for you,” Alison smiles and gestures to the black-felt table, waiting for Emily to break the arranged, colorful pool balls. 

They’re split seconds later with a loud crack, rapidly trailing off in different directions as the blonde waits. One, striped ball falls into the pocket and, as Emily goes to take her next shot, Alison gets out an abrupt “Okay, I have your first question,” earning a questioning “Mhm?” in response.

“What’s a hidden fantasy of yours?” the blonde raises a devious eyebrow with a very amused attitude, causing Emily to only tip the cue ball as it rolls into a nearby pocket, ending the brunette’s turn because, well,  _ this  _ game didn’t take too long to get personal.

Alison passes by Emily to reach for the cue ball in the pocket, leaning into her ear and seductively whispering, “Nice shot,” as the other girl walks away with a taken aback expression.

She puts the white ball down onto the felt, lining it up with a solid and hitting it in with a fierce snap. Her blue eyes bore into Emily’s temple once she straightens her back.

“ _ Well _ ?” comes Alison’s dragged-out response, waiting for an answer.

“I don’t have any fantasies,” Emily shrugs with a dopey grin, not being able to come up with anything.

“Why do I find that so hard to believe?” Alison squints her eyes.

“I really don’t,” she shoots back, watching the blonde sink another solid. 

“ _ Everyone _ has a secret fantasy, Em.”

“What’s yours?” her features look smug.

“It’s not your turn to ask something.”

“Yes it is. I already answered,” Emily smiles. “My answer is that I don’t have a hidden fantasy.”

“And I call bullshit,” Alison stares at her.

“Call it what you want,” comes the cryptic reply, causing the blonde to narrow her eyes.

“Okay, fine,” Alison nods and leans down to the table again, closing one eye and focusing before she hits the ball, only missing the pocket by an inch so it’s Emily’s turn.

The brunette searches the table, eyeing what she has to work with as Alison flatly hums to herself in thought.

“My hidden fantasy…” she thinks, focus shifting around the room. “You know those drive-in movie theaters? The ones where you park and watch the movie from your car.” 

Emily glances in her direction for a short second, getting out an interested “Mhm” as Alison bites her bottom lip with a soft laugh.

“I’ve always wanted to go to one,” she continues with a descriptive tone, almost like she’s thinking heavily about it. “One that not a lot of people go to, more specifically. It’d have to be in a dense, wooded area with barely any lighting and just… a  _ big  _ screen so we can see the movie perfectly.”

She sinks a stripe on contact, listening to Alison speak, now taking on a sultry tone.

“But I’d prefer to not watch the movie at all,” her voice lowers, being given a pair of narrowed, slightly shy eyes. “We’d get in the back seat and have a different kind of fun.”

When Emily can’t respond, Alison continues yet again, eyes staring at the brunette who tries to avoid her heavy, seductive gaze.

“ _ Or _ we could stay in the front seats and see who can keep a straight face for longer,” she finishes, biting her lower lip while she leans against the table, watching Emily knock in one of her solids.

The tanned girl clears her throat and straightens her back out, offering Alison a tight-lipped smile as she gets out a quick “Your turn.”

She smirks at the underlying frustration, looking at the rest of the colors on the table and seeing one where Emily stands, intentionally walking over and coming to a stop right in front of the brunette who doesn’t exactly know what to do when they’re only inches away. Alison turns around soon after, exaggeratedly leaning over the table as she’s pressed against Emily who refuses to move because she knows that the girl is doing this purposely and doesn't want to━ 

“What do you remember from that night?” Alison takes the shot and sinks the solid, maroon seven, afterwards facing Emily with a head tilt and pursed lips.

“What?” the brunette’s lips part because she wasn’t expecting the question.

“That’s your question. What do you remember from our…  _ special night _ ?” she raises an eyebrow.

“I…” her voice trails off after the first word, being stared at by a pair of blue eyes that sparkle with wonder, “I remember more than you do.”

“I’m not accepting that answer,” Alison laughs, walking away so she can take another turn. “Be specific. I want to know,  _ exactly _ , what you remember.”

She stands there and debates on answering truthfully, genuinely wanting to go over to the bar and take a shot ━ or five ━ solely because she  _ does  _ remember more than Alison but doesn’t want to confess as to what, even if it's not bad. Emily looks toward the bar, getting caught by Alison who laughs in disbelief.

“You’d seriously rather take a shot than confess?” the blonde smiles hard. “Now I’m  _ really  _ curious.”

The girl accidentally sinks the eight-ball, ending the game prematurely with a muttered “Damn it.” 

Emily chuckles and moves over to re-rack the pool balls, quickly scooping them out of the pockets without answering the question ━ which Alison notices instantly.

“I’m waiting,” she gives her attitude. “Either confess or drink up.”

Brown eyes glance in her direction and Alison continues with a heavy, lustful “I’ll even pour it for you.”

Emily makes a face and finishes racking, walking over to set up her shot before taking it quickly, breaking the balls apart and sending a solid into the corner pocket. She breathes out a soft “Okay,” cautiously looking at Alison who listens intently.

“What I remember is…” she trails off, pursing her lips before laughing, looking away, and nodding, “drinking with you,  _ dancing  _ with you, and heading back to the room.”

“ _ And _ ?” Alison pries, eyebrows raised as Emily goes to open her mouth but is quickly interrupted. “Don’t you dare try to lie to me, Emily, or I’ll force you to drink the entire bottle so you spill  _ all  _ your secrets.”

She swallows hard and bends over, quickly putting another solid into a pocket.

Emily backs up, “I remember kissing you at the door and not wanting to stop,” the end of her sentence is muttered but Alison still hears it, rubbing her lips together.

“Um… everything else is scattered,” a sigh pauses her sentence, “but I do recall some parts of the night… when we were…” her eyes avoid Alison’s as the girl’s mouth opens when she’s taken aback.

“When we were having sex?” Alison fills in the blank, smiling because she never realized that the brunette remembers this much. “Hm, any specifics?”

Emily wants to groan but, instead, rolls her eyes and takes another shot, missing the purple solid by a fraction of an inch as it bounces off the table’s wall and slips into a pocket, ending her turn in a scratch. Alison snickers and comes up behind the girl, whispering in her ear, “Was I good?”

The brunette wants to melt into a puddle, just standing there as Alison rounds the table and glances up at Emily with a soft laugh because she looks absolutely stunned and lost. Alison mutters, “Your turn to ask,” as she angles the shot, dropping one of her stripes into a side pocket. 

Emily takes a few minutes to think and, meanwhile, Alison knocks in two more stripes, ultimately hitting in one of Emily’s solids so it’s the brunette’s turn. Emily moves over to the cue ball and rolls the solid, green six into a pocket, immediately going for the purple four and hitting it into the same hole.

“Alright, I got a question,” Emily purses her lips and stands up. “Back then, were you only experimenting whenever you kissed me? Like… did it ever mean more?” 

Alison looks away, a surprised smile covering her lips.

She continues, “You said you had feelings, but…”

“I wasn’t experimenting every time, no,” she shakes her head and Emily misses her next shot, afterwards waiting for Alison to take her turn. 

The blonde explains further as she moves to the other side of the table, “The first time, a little bit. The second time…” a small laugh falls from her lips and she knocks in one of her stripes, “I figured that the butterfly feeling was a fluke…  _ again _ . The third…” like before, she shakes her head with a shy grin, the rest of her sentence dying in her throat.

Emily stands there, eyes narrowed with a small grin covering her face because the information comes as a surprise and, now, she’s flashing back to the kisses they shared as teens. The first two were innocent, lasting a small number of seconds each before the girls made nervous, shaky eye contact with one another ━ until Alison came up with an excuse to leave. The third was anything  _ but  _ innocent and lasted thirty seconds longer, being messy and desperate.

Her thoughts are broken up when Alison hits in another, striped ball, soon looking at Emily with a timid body language. 

The blonde starts again, her voice cautious and quiet, “I’m going to share a secret with you…  _ without  _ being asked… mostly because I want you to know something that no one else does,” she takes in an extended inhale, exhaling after a second or two. “Not even Hanna or Mona.”

Emily waits, feeling her heart beat faster because the girl looks far beyond hesitant for whatever reason. Meanwhile, Alison takes a short pause before licking her lips in thought, eventually forcing out the words.

“You were my first kiss.”

At first, Emily’s lips part and her eyes narrow because of the girl’s stories about various boyfriends and experiences. She closes her mouth after a moment, locking eyes with the cautious blonde girl who doesn’t steer away from staring back at Emily because she wants the brunette to know that she’s completely serious.

“But didn’t you date people before we kissed?” Emily voices her initial question, watching Alison raise her eyebrows since she knew the girl would ask.

To delay the answer, Alison leans down and knocks in one of her remaining pool balls, leaving the orange stripe and eight-ball for last while Emily still has two solids and the game-ender on the table. Blue eyes lock with brown once she gets her final stripe into a side pocket, leaving the black ball for after she responds to the question.

“Date? Yes. Kiss? No,” a laugh escapes her throat before she chews her inner cheek. “They tried to kiss me, but I…” she shrugs when she can’t figure out how to end the sentence. “I didn’t feel enough for them, and I always held onto the idea of having an unforgettable first kiss. I didn’t want to ruin it.”

She looks at her feet and breathes out, “So, when I wouldn't let them kiss me, they'd leave. It sounds shitty of them, yeah, but it never bothered me as much as it probably should've. I guess I didn't like them, in the first place.” 

Emily nods in understanding, afterwards showing a curious smile. Alison goes to put the eight-ball away but misses when she hits one of Emily’s solids, knocking the red ball into a side pocket with a grunt. The brunette continues to look at her, soon speaking with a tiny voice.

“Was it… unforgettable?” 

“Yes,” Alison whispers as she stands up. “Even though it wasn’t exactly planned and I label it as an experiment, it was. It  _ is _ ,” she nods. “ _ And _ , since we’re being honest, I saw it as an unfortunate thing for years,” comes the slight mumble.

Emily chuckles.

She continues, “Days after we kissed the second time…” her voice trails off, “I couldn’t take it. Like… it was literally driving me insane. I didn’t understand what was going on and, because of that, I eventually started becoming who I had lied about beforehand. I started kissing college boys and getting drunk at parties so I’d feel normal.”

The brunette watches the other girl “reminisce,” feeling strangely relieved that Alison hadn’t kissed anyone before her because the two of them were already aware that the blonde was  _ her  _ first kiss. Until now, she always figured she was solely an experiment and the blonde had made out with a few boys beforehand. Now, she feels… empowered. Honored, even.

“But, if you remember our third encounter as much as I do, I ended up getting drunk and kissing you which, by the way, didn’t help anything,” Alison breathes out as she places her cue on the felt surface and leans her butt against the end of the pool table, gripping the wooden side while looking at the brunette who stands across from her.

Once the words leave Alison’s mouth, Emily blushes when she remembers how buzzed she was while the blonde was near-gone ━ but obviously not enough to forget. 

“Before, I had lied about my experiences. Ever notice how you rarely met the boys I talked about?” she offers a regretful smile. “I basically became queen of the school solely because I was good at lying. Imagine that.”

“You’re different now, though,” the brunette keeps her voice quiet, smiling at the girl who seems like she’s debating.

When Alison doesn’t respond because she’s too conflicted, Emily begins to approach at a slow rate, ending up right in front of the girl who only half-looks at her because she feels way too vulnerable to keep up her act of confidence right now. The brunette comes to a standstill not even two feet away, tilting her head with kind features. Alison watches her, eyes briefly shifting to the girl’s lips before she forces herself to focus on the brown gaze staring at her with actual, noticeable love.

“You are,” Emily speaks sternly, her eyes still staring into Alison’s as she takes another step forward and places her cue next to the other upon the table’s surface, standing with one of her legs between the blonde’s. 

“A  _ different _ different,” the brunette continues with a growing smile, “but a good different. I like it.”

When Alison doesn't respond, she adds a whispered “A lot” which, in the end, only partly makes it out of her mouth because half of the proclamation dies in her throat.

Alison stares at her as much as she can, not caring if her eyes drift lower because, at this point, she’s in too deep, and she’s not sure if she wants to escape whatever profound hole she’s in ━ neither of them do, actually. 

Emily’s smile somewhat fades as silence consumes the space between them, every other game forgotten as well as the rest of the world. The corner of the blonde’s mouth twitches into a tiny smirk and the other girl’s lips part when she doesn’t know what else to say. Alison, sensing the brunette’s underlying frustration, feels her smirk grow more until she whispers, “Prove it,” to Emily whose eyes darken a fraction as she licks her lips.

In response, after what feels like an eternity, Emily takes another step forward until the leg between Alison’s thighs is completely pressed against her center, getting an immediate yet subtle, sharp inhale from the girl who locks her blue eyes with the brunette’s struggling line of sight. When Emily doesn’t move any closer, Alison takes the initiative to pull the girl in for a gentle kiss by grabbing a fistful of her shirt. 

They both melt into the kiss, more so because it’s almost been an entire twenty-four hours since they last fully kissed but, honestly, it feels like years and, because of that, Alison allows her hands to travel to the back of Emily’s neck, fingers tangling in brown hair on contact. The lip-lock deepens within seconds, having lost all sense of control as Alison leans against the end of the pool table, legs parted as Emily’s thigh presses against the center of her shorts, instantly causing her to feel more warmth rushing to her core. 

Like the previous night, Alison’s tongue drags against Emily’s bottom lip until the brunette takes the hint and allows the kiss to grow even more heated, hearing a hollow-sounding moan come from the blonde’s throat because she absentmindedly moved her leg against the girl’s center. The brunette’s fingers begin to roam at a slow rate, not being all that noticeable until her left hand ends up beneath Alison’s tank top, dragging along her lower back while her right hand grasps at the girl’s hip. At the same time, Alison’s nails scrape at the skin beneath her fingertips, lingering on the back of Emily’s neck until her right hand cups the girl’s cheek, allowing her lips to travel away from the brunette’s as they trail along her jaw and down her throat. Emily lets out a breathy moan at the sensation, tilting her chin upwards to give Alison more access while both of her hands wander underneath the blonde’s tank top. A warm breath is felt against her skin when she moves impossibly closer, again thrusting her thigh against the girl’s shorts.

In response to Alison’s reaction, Emily does it once more but much slower than previously with a new, matching pressure, listening to the sound of a muffled whimper against the damp skin of her neck, ending with the blonde nipping at the same area and eliciting a frustrated whine as she soothes the spot with her tongue, followed by multiple, open-mouthed kisses. While Alison tends to her neck, Emily focuses on where her hands are, moving them downwards so they end up partially underneath the waistband of the girl’s jean shorts, afterwards dragging her nails upwards to extract a shaky breath from the blonde who has to bite down to stop the sensation from getting the best of her. Suddenly, the pads of Emily’s fingers glide across her lower back in a sensual way, causing Alison to kiss her way back to the brunette's lips, keeping barely an inch of space between their mouths for a short moment afterwards. She nudges her nose against Emily’s, smiling before kissing the girl once more and tugging on her lower lip with a seductive nature that matches what she had done the night before.

The brunette releases a deep breath that comes out more like a groan as her eyes flutter open, only to close once Alison leans back in for another, heated kiss. Her fingertips continue to trace along soft skin, but, when the blonde’s left hand travels down the girl's arm and behind her own back to take Emily’s right hand, the brunette finds herself focusing less on the kiss and more on where Alison is guiding their loosely entwined fingers. The blonde must have noticed the sudden pause because, soon, she’s tilting her head to the side with aware, lustful eyes and a subtle yet convincing smirk, slowly bringing Emily’s hand along her thigh until it’s at her center. Emily feels herself unnoticeably shaking as she leans in again, kissing Alison who unclasps their hands so she can turn her wrist and soundly push the brunette’s palm further against the crotch of her shorts, feeling like her throat is closing up because she just wants to feel the girl who has her pinned to the pool table. Alison continues to kiss Emily, trailing the kiss off into wet, elongated pecks while somewhat leaning backwards with her butt pressed against the edge of the table so the brunette is partly hunched over her, both feeling the effects of everything surrounding the situation through deep breaths and soft sounds.

The tanned girl feels like she’s on fire, allowing her fingertips to gently scrape at the center of Alison’s shorts with the blonde’s legs spreading a bit further, earning a partial exhale when it’s just enough pressure to create a small amount of friction. Meanwhile, Alison continues to hold her lover’s hand in place, firmly pushing even higher until the sensation is enough to make her breathing pick up more. When the heat of the moment hits Emily, she kisses Alison harder but with an underlying, sensual need, intently rubbing her fingers against the fabric and tasting a moan that tumbles into her mouth until the blonde bites her lower lip again, releasing it moments later.

“Please touch me,” Alison whispers against her mouth and Emily wants to moan at the instruction, barely feeling prepared for the entire concept but so desperately wanting to give into the girl straight away.

Instead, she decides to play along, hoping that her voice doesn’t come out too shaky because she’s trying to be confident and in-control. 

She smirks a fraction, attempting to cover up her nerves as she teases, “What about taste?”

Alison chews her own bottom lip at the reminder, swallowing hard and, within seconds, pressing their lips together with such desperation that it stuns Emily enough for her to stop moving her hand for the time being. Once she comes back down to Earth, however, she decides to give into the girl’s plea and moves her leg a bit so she has room to shift her arm, both shaking hands dragging along Alison’s lower stomach so she can undo the jean shorts’ button and zipper. 

The blonde waits as she feels her shorts loosen, allowing her tongue to slide against Emily’s while the brunette focuses on what she’s doing. She holds Alison against the table with her left hand as she backs up to look into the girl’s lidded, blue eyes, simultaneously sliding her right hand into the blonde’s underwear and earning an immediate and satisfied, deep breath before their mouths are pressed against one another like before.

She works her fingers skillfully, dragging one along the length of the girl’s center before adding another and doing the same. Her movements are painfully slow but Alison feels her breathing picking up even more, allowing a moan or whimper to fall from her sealed lips every now and then. The blonde’s legs shake slightly as she stands, so, to hold herself up more, she keeps a firm hold on the back of Emily’s neck with one hand while the other grabs onto the edge of the table behind her, partially hooking her left ankle around the back of the brunette’s right leg while somewhat bringing her closer. In the end, the position works out even better because Emily’s fingers start to move at a faster rate, pressing down in all the right areas as Alison moans out a deep “Fuck” into her mouth. In response, the brunette smirks but goes right back to kissing the other girl, intentionally brushing her fingertips against Alison’s clit with such a light pressure that it becomes unbearable, causing the blonde’s hips to attempt to create more friction while biting down on Emily’s lower lip without letting go for five seconds.

Once she releases Emily’s lip, however, her mouth plants damp, open-mouthed kisses down the side of the girl’s neck while earning some sounds of her own, including a whimpered version of her name that doesn’t fail to make her smirk hard ━ until the expression is replaced with a caught off-guard, pleasurable reaction when the brunette presses her fingers down in a way she’s never felt before. Moans, whimpers, and whines fall from her lips while she moves her mouth along the girl’s skin, biting hard every now and then once a digit presses into her. Emily enjoys the sharp feeling thoroughly, biting her own lower lip whenever she feels her skin being nipped at while creating friction within the girl’s underwear. She pushes a second finger into Alison, immediately hearing another, rasped curse word come from the blonde’s mouth before listening to the girl’s hand grip the pool table’s edge harder.

Emily feels Alison’s legs beginning to quiver as the girl’s body shifts every now and then to match her hand’s movements, signaling that the blonde’s close to climaxing while her sounds begin meshing together and, within seconds, so do their lips. The brunette swallows most of the pleasurable noises, tasting her own name whenever it erupts from Alison’s throat with a deeper, breathier moan. Without putting off the inevitable any longer, she brushes her fingers against the girl’s clit faster while adding enough pressure, not letting up as Alison’s mouth falls open, not being able to kiss Emily at the time being because she’s way too distracted by the feeling between her legs.

Alison unravels loudly with a chain of swears, moans, and sounds that can’t escape her throat because her body feels like it’s shutting down for a number of seconds. Emily helps her ride out the high as she feels a newer wetness against her fingers, still shifting her hand but slowing down once the death grip on her shoulder releases. Alison’s fingertips slide down her neck until she uses both hands to cup the brunette’s jaw, automatically leaning in to connect their lips. She kisses Emily’s mouth with a slow yet desperate attitude, wanting to feel her on an even-deeper level as the tanned girl’s hands now grip at her hips, pulling their bodies together while pressing further against the pool table.

Minutes pass and, once she has the strength, Alison backs up, offers Emily one more peck on the lips, and shimmies her way out from between the table and the girl’s body. The brunette doesn’t have a chance to react before she’s being tugged away from the pool table and toward her bedroom, following Alison who glances backwards with a devious smirk, though her breathing is still deep and uneven ━ not to say Emily’s isn’t because, God, she already feels like she could melt into a puddle. 

Her hand flicks the light switch down as she passes the wall, shutting off the second floor’s overhead lighting before they’re crossing into the bedroom where moonlight illuminates most of the area ━  _ especially  _ the bed which will always be one of the brunette’s favorite, interior quirks.

Alison comes to a standstill five feet away from the side of the bed, turning around to face Emily with a comfortable yet nervous grin full of admiration and love that she hasn’t been able to verbalize.

“I’m surprised you didn’t want to use the pool table,” the brunette finds the strength to be smug, ultimately attempting to cover up her nerves because her throat feels like it’s tightening while the other girl stares at her with something deeper.

Alison tilts her head with a smirk, “Not tonight.”

Emily’s brown eyes widen slightly, her lips parting at the same time, and the blonde shrugs as she casually adds, “I was winning the game and I don’t want to have to start over.”

Emily laughs before she swallows hard once she realizes how heavily she’s already fallen for Alison, simply eyeing the beautiful girl in front of her. To disrupt the mounting silence, Alison takes a step forward until they’re brushing noses, letting a barely audible chuckle exit her throat before whispering, “It’s on my list, though.”

Her lips are moving against the brunette’s before either girl can take another breath, kissing her with a tasteful passion as her hands grab at Emily’s shirt. When Emily cups her jaw, Alison deepens the kiss and takes the initiative to start pulling the hem of her lover’s shirt upwards, moving slowly so she can take her time reveling in the feeling of the brunette’s lips on her own. Once the piece of clothing bunches below the girl’s breasts, Alison begrudgingly breaks the kiss and pulls it off fully, afterwards pulling her own tank top off and tossing it somewhere nearby so she can put her mouth back on Emily’s. She sighs into the kiss, loving the feeling of fresh, skin on skin contact while pulling the girl impossibly closer as her hands tangle in brown hair like before. 

While their tongues brush against one another with a reserved moan flowing from her mouth, Emily’s hands move downwards until they reach the loosened waistband of Alison’s shorts. She doesn’t immediately tug them down the girl’s legs, however. Instead, she breaks their kiss and looks into curious, blue eyes, gradually smirking with a heavy, seductive expression before beginning to plant wet kisses down Alison’s neck, chest, and stomach, kneeling on the ground to continue her damp path. The blonde breathes out and bites her lower lip, nails scraping along Emily’s scalp while she feels the girl tugging her shorts down her legs, kissing the newly exposed skin down to her right knee. She helps Emily remove the shorts fully by lifting her feet one after the other, only to see brown eyes looking up at her through a wavering focus. Alison takes her lower lip between her teeth like seconds prior, especially when Emily begins kissing back upwards, trailing along her inner thigh until she presses an open-mouthed kiss to the fabric covering the blonde’s center, earning an abrupt, deep gasp in response.

Emily retraces her former path as she gets back to a standing position, immediately having her face grabbed by blue-painted nails that partially dig into her skin. She breathes out and kisses Alison like previously, not connecting their mouths for too long because, before she can zone-in on the situation again, the blonde backs up and rubs her lips together, staring into Emily’s eyes with a determined, barely visible smile. 

Her hands reach for the button of Emily’s jeans, only breaking eye contact for a fraction of a second until she regains the unspoken conversation, afterwards moving the zipper downwards. She raises an eyebrow at Emily who struggles to keep her breathing even. After allowing a short pause to create more tension, Alison licks her lips and pushes the girl’s jeans down her legs until they’re kicked to the side with everything else.

With another, nervous grin, Alison takes Emily’s hands and backs up until her legs hit the edge of the bed, carefully bringing the brunette down to the mattress with her until her head lies against the pillows. Emily rests on top of her, kissing the girl’s already-bruised lips with a content sigh. While allowing herself to enjoy the lip-lock equally as much, Alison’s hand glides along Emily’s back until she reaches the clasp to the girl’s bra, casually undoing it and getting out a soft laugh against the brunette’s mouth after she backs up to fully remove the garment. A stunned grunt exits Emily’s throat soon, however, once she’s flipped onto her back with the blonde hovering above her with a newfound, devious smile. 

Alison sits up straight and undoes her own bra with ease, seductively dropping it to the floor nearby as Emily tries to keep her eyes locked with blue, failing repeatedly. The blonde laughs again before leaning down and kissing the girl hard, carefully finding Emily’s hands and maneuvering them until they’re being pressed against the pillow above her head. Alison deliberately grinds her hips down and moans contentedly, afterwards tugging on Emily’s lower lip and letting go before a full second passes. She tilts her head to the side, away from Emily’s mouth, and loosens her grip on the brunette's pinned wrists as she instructs, “Keep your hands there. The entire time.”

“And if I don’t?” Emily finds her voice after a small, internal struggle.

Alison arches an eyebrow and straightens her back again so she’s sitting atop the other girl, “Then I’ll make sure to hold out on you for  _ much  _ longer than I already have.”

“You wouldn’t,” she smiles with ease, challenging Alison. 

“What makes you say that?” the blonde’s expression is amused and pointed at the same time.

“Because it sounded like you were enjoying how I touched you a few minutes ago. I doubt you’d want to miss that feeling,” Emily answers smoothly with a low voice and, in return, Alison presses her tongue against the inside of her cheek before narrowing her eyes and smiling devilishly.

“Mm, I think you’re forgetting that I’ve  _ somehow  _ kept myself satisfied for this long,” she licks her lips and sees the brunette’s eyes widen as her mouth partly hangs open, “and I don’t need you to do it for me.”

Alison leans down suddenly, moving cautiously until her mouth is lingering next to Emily’s ear.

“Wanna know a secret?” she whispers and the brunette can’t find the strength to respond or even react.

The blonde explains, “I kept myself satisfied last night,” before chewing her lower lip again, smirking when she hears the girl take in a sharp inhale.

She kisses underneath Emily’s ear, “I was thinking about you.”

Emily’s eyes slam shut and she struggles to control her breathing even further, inadvertently letting out a strangled moan that makes Alison want to match the noise. When the brunette opens her brown eyes to focus again, she sees Alison now only inches away from her face, smiling at her speechless expression.

Alison leans in and brushes her lips against the other girl’s ━ just light enough to create a tickling sensation ━ but soon whispers, “Now I bet you’re wishing you had responded to my text.”

Before she can kiss Emily for even part of a second, she’s flipped onto her back with a squeak, glaring at the girl who now hovers above her, though a cunning smirk still remains across her mouth as if she can’t believe the brunette disobeyed her. Emily makes solid eye contact but breathes heavily with a love-drunk expression covering her features, gaze flickering to Alison’s lips as she pins the blonde’s wrists down to the pillow. When Alison’s scolding, narrowed eyes and visible, devious smile don’t let up, Emily decides to match the look with one of her own, grinning triumphantly and bouncing her eyebrows before watching the girl’s eyes fade to something softer. 

“I told you to keep your hands there,” comes Alison’s newest whisper, a challenging tone laced into her seductive, instructive voice. 

“My bed, my rules,” Emily offers the rebuttal, tone matching her lover’s.

At first, Alison only looks at her with a now-expressionless face but, within seconds, Emily watches a gentle, longing smile appear across her mouth as the corners of her lips curve upwards a tiny bit.

“ _ Our _ bed,” the blonde says quietly, voice lacking the former, heated tone from seconds ago.

Emily stares at her for an extended period of time, studying the girl’s features so she can detect a trace of teasing but, in the end, finds none. Finally, she nods with a shaky smile and leans down to kiss Alison with more need and pure love, accompanied by a specific, innocent satisfaction from the silent conversation that flows between them.

“Our bed,” she confirms against the girl’s mouth, kissing her with a deep desire that’s been strengthening for the last however-many days.

Alison sighs into the lip-lock, feeling Emily’s hands unpinning her wrists second by second once she gets lost in the kiss. Sensing this, the blonde takes the opportunity to flip them over again, but Emily rolls onto her back without Alison having to force her. In response, Alison backs up to look into Emily’s eyes, sensing no hesitation while trust replaces its former spot. 

She smiles at the sight before grabbing ahold of the girl’s hands and pinning them down like previously, wrists crossed against the pillow above the brunette’s head as she straddles one of her thighs, grinding down partially. Alison kisses her as a low breath dies in her throat, afterwards allowing her lips to linger against Emily’s before backing up to see brown eyes slowly fluttering open to stare back at her.

As Alison keeps a firm hold on Emily’s wrists with her right hand, her left skates down the brunette’s stomach at a slow rate, causing the girl’s breath to get caught in her throat as she feels fingertips walking down her lower stomach until they slide into her underwear. 

Her eyes slam shut and her lips part when Alison touches her for the first time, dragging her fingers along at an excruciatingly passive rate. Emily breathes out but manages to bite her lower lip, having the corner of her mouth kissed by Alison who, afterwards, watches her with admiration, only briefly unpinning the brunette’s wrists so she can brush a few strands of hair out of the girl’s face. Meanwhile, her fingers shift inside Emily’s underwear, dragging them along the girl’s center in speeds that mimic the paths she normally creates on her palm.

A hollow, choked-up moan erupts in Emily’s throat when Alison rubs her clit carefully, afterwards shifting the pressure and swiping along her center with ease. Alison’s lips move down Emily’s jaw and neck, slowly ending up against the skin of her throat as the brunette tilts her head back into the pillow. Alison drags her tongue upwards against her lover’s chin, simultaneously pushing a finger into the girl who gasps at the combined feelings. 

Before Emily can get too worked up, Alison removes her hand from the girl’s underwear and brings it to her mouth, watching the brunette’s lidded eyes turn a shade darker as she tucks her damp fingers between her lips.

Without another word, Alison releases her other hand from the brunette’s wrists and the girl immediately goes to move, but she’s stopped when the same, gripping hand lands in its previous spot. A gentle glare is thrown in her direction as her chest rapidly rises and caves, still having a fast heart rate while a flood of warmth rushes to her core. 

“Keep them there,” Alison’s voice is calm yet lecturing, a tiny smile staying on her face. “I mean it this time.”

Emily nods as much as she can, though she wants to protest the request because she’s already too worked up and just wants to touch Alison in any way she can.

After another five seconds of eye contact, the blonde resumes her position of straddling Emily’s thigh. Without getting too comfortable, she begins kissing along the brunette’s chest as she slides her own body downwards until she’s semi-kneeling between the girl’s legs, occasionally glancing at Emily who tilts her chin upwards and keeps her hands in their instructed spot. 

She takes in sharp breaths whenever the blonde nips at her skin, soon feeling the girl’s mouth working against individual areas as faint, red marks appear. Alison leaves multiple markings along Emily’s body as she continues moving downwards, still periodically looking up at the girl who lies flat against the mattress to make sure she hasn’t moved.

When Alison reaches the girl’s panties, she pulls them down and off with determination, afterwards looking up at Emily who has her bottom lip firmly bitten between her teeth. She smiles at the sight and leans down to kiss the girl’s inner thighs, starting on her left and moving over to the right. She takes small nips at soft skin while moving her hands so she can scrape at her lover’s outer thighs, extracting a sharp inhale from above. 

In response, Alison moves her mouth further upwards, kissing along her skin until she reaches Emily’s center and, before the brunette can take a deep breath, the tip of her tongue swipes upwards within the girl’s folds, earning a sudden moan. Alison does the same thing and gets an identical reaction, but soon works heavily against Emily’s sensitive skin, listening to a variation of noises that the blonde wouldn’t mind hearing for the rest of her life ━ in fact, she’s set on hearing them for the rest of her life.

“Fuck,” a breathy moan falls from Emily’s lips and Alison smiles against her center, finding it amusing that they both heavily lack expansive vocabulary when they can’t focus.

Alison swirls her tongue around the brunette’s clit and back downwards, pressing further against the girl while her nails scrape at Emily’s lower stomach. She elicits a sharp whine, more so because, each time, she switches what she’s doing before the brunette’s orgasm can begin to build up, and Alison wants to smirk at the frustration but presses forward again, moving her tongue with purpose. She hears Emily’s hands grabbing the pillows with a death grip, mentally feeling impressed that the girl is able to follow direction even though she’s severely distracted, and the sound of nails scraping against the fabric makes a flow of warmth pool in Alison’s core to the point of a heavy breath dying in her throat. 

Again, she tries to put off Emily’s climax by staying away from the girl’s most sensitive area but, when she takes a moment too long to shift her tongue, it builds heavily and, since she doesn’t want to ruin the feeling for the brunette, Alison uses the full width of her tongue to stroke the area at a fast rate. She hears a frustrated, whined “Ali” come from the girl who nearly pulls the pillow out from behind her head, shortly feeling her orgasm slam into her as her back arches merely an inch off the mattress. 

Alison lets her ride out the climax at a steady rate, slowing down her mouth’s movements as she massages the girl’s tender, pulsating skin. Emily’s back hits the bed again, feeling her skin stick to the mattress while she eventually unclenches her fists and lets go of the pillow, leaving her hands in their designated area.

The blonde tilts to the side but doesn’t crawl up to Emily’s face. Instead, she drags her fingertips along the girl’s open legs while leaning her head against Emily’s inner thigh, lovingly looking up at the brunette who refuses to even  _ try  _ making eye contact with a blue, admirable gaze. Emily breathes heavily and Alison watches her chest rise and cave at a solid rate, smiling tenderly when she sees the brunette lick her lips.

“I meant it when I said I missed you,” Alison confesses with a whisper and Emily lifts her head a fraction so she can look at the blonde, afterwards flopping back onto the mattress.

“Not fully in a platonic sense, though,” she continues. “Honestly, I wish I had let myself fall with you before. Way back when, I mean,” it begins to sound like she's talking to herself, earning the tail end of a laugh through deep breaths.

“Are you  _ really  _ trying to have a deep conversation with me right now?” Emily finally gets out, drawing a mirrored laugh from Alison who remains leaning against her inner thigh.

“Yeah, why not?”

“This isn’t exactly the most innocent position,” she chuckles.

“Who says I’m trying to be innocent?” Alison smirks, turning her head to press a cluster of slow kisses to the brunette’s inner thigh and getting a responsive, tight-lipped whimper when Emily tries to prevent it from leaving her mouth.

Alison bites her lower lip and smiles, carefully moving her right hand and sliding her thumb through the girl’s folds so she can listen to another sound. Emily’s mouth falls open at the feeling, her legs trying to close because she’s just too sensitive right now, but Alison doesn’t allow it and, instead, leans forward to taste the brunette some more.

“F━” she can’t even get the word out, replacing it with a deep, raspy “Alison” as the blonde moves her tongue tantalizingly slow.

Like previously, Emily’s nails scratch at the pillowcase beneath her hands, grabbing onto the fabric as her muscles already start to feel sore from pulling so hard. 

Alison begins to move her tongue faster, sensing that Emily needs more friction against the sore area, and feels successful when the brunette chokes out her name again, being hit with a constant, tingling wave of warmth when her second climax doesn’t want to come so soon. It becomes painful, even if in the best sense, and she wants to reach down to tangle her fingers in Alison’s hair in hopes that she’ll have something else to focus on but, in reality, she’s left practically tearing apart the pillowcase.

Alison moves her hand and pushes two digits into the girl, being granted a strangled moan that doesn't have the strength to fully come out, simultaneously circling the girl’s most sensitive area before she leans forward and sucks gently, ultimately resulting in Emily’s second orgasm which hits her harder while it lasts for a longer period of time. Again, she helps the brunette revel in the feeling, slowing down her movements at the precise time until Emily’s muscles relax completely.

This time, Alison places one, final kiss to the girl’s inner thigh before climbing upwards, immediately shifting to the side so she can kiss Emily on the cheek while one of her legs hooks between the brunette’s thighs. 

Emily breathes heavily, occasionally licking her lips when they feel dry from the sharp air. Alison smiles at the sight, looking up to see the girl’s wrists still pinned above her head. She smiles again, this time proudly, and gently drags her fingertips along Emily’s palms so she knows she can move them. Automatically, the brunette wraps one arm around Alison and pulls her closer while her other hand lands on her own stomach. She turns her head to kiss the blonde’s lips as much as possible, still feeling winded from what just transpired between her legs, and manages to place multiple pecks to Alison’s mouth before relaxing again.

“Looks like someone’s already worn out,” Alison smirks, leaning forward to press a kiss to the corner of Emily’s lips. 

At first, Emily exhales with a laugh before clearing her throat, not offering a response until more time passes. 

“I’m fine,” another laugh tumbles from the brunette’s lips, turning her body so she’s facing the girl with lidded eyes. 

“Are you sure about that?” Alison raises an eyebrow, noting how many, forced blinks it took before her lover was able to focus.

Emily nods and goes to lean forward while whispering, “You act like this is my first time━” but she’s cut off quickly by Alison who avoids the kiss, also pressing her pointer finger to the brunette’s lips.

“I suggest you  _ not  _ finish that sentence because you’re currently in bed with  _ me _ ,” her voice is solid before it turns to a whisper. “I’m supposed to be the only one on your mind,” she doesn’t look upset and a toying grin covers her mouth, but Emily feels a tinge of guilt, anyway. 

In response, she licks her lips and nods with an understanding yet apologetic smile, “You are, Ali. Constantly.”

After sharing a short peck, Emily whispers, “I promise,” against soft, content lips.

“That’s better,” Alison mirrors the genuine smile and kisses her more. “You're mine.”

“All yours,” the brunette gets out in-between pecks, not taking too much time before turning the small gestures into something much deeper.

“Good,” she whispers once they briefly break apart again. 

Before Emily can answer, another, abrupt finger-swipe drags through the length of her center and she whimpers into Alison’s mouth with a giggle being heard only a second later.

The blonde smirks, “I could get used to hearing you come undone every day.”

In response, in order to prevent Alison from killing her body any more than she already has, Emily pushes the girl onto her back and wastes no time by kissing her neck, a strangled, wanting noise being drawn out from the blonde’s throat. 

“You’re not going to make me keep my hands pinned above me?” Alison teases as much as she can, a wiped-out smirk lingering across her mouth.

Emily kisses her collarbones, afterwards looking up with a smug “No, you might need them.”

Alison’s lips part and, without another word, Emily works her mouth downwards, pausing at the girl’s nipples and tending to them with her tongue and fingertips, causing her lover’s mouth to drop open before she bites her lip heavily, attempting to control herself while her legs part and hands grasp at the comforter that rests below her body. Emily swirls her tongue around the area, tenderly kissing her way over to the other side and switching tactics so her fingertips tend to the former.

“Em,” Alison grits her teeth but takes a moment to release a shaky exhale. “Please, just…”

The brunette knowingly smirks against her skin, still lingering around the same area while listening to Alison’s constant, deep breaths, encouraging Emily to continue further. She makes multiple, red marks along the girl’s skin, in a way admiring the smoothness beneath her mouth. Moving an inch or so upwards, Alison’s breathing gradually speeds up, more so because Emily’s lower half is pressed between her legs while the brunette deliberately shifts. When it happens again, Alison’s thighs part a fraction further and Emily feels the motion, smiling against the girl’s soft skin ━ that is, until greedy hands reach down and pull her face upwards, their lips crashing together with matching whimpers blending in response to the curt feeling.

Alison kisses Emily hard, her fingers tangling in brown hair that occasionally tickles her face. The brunette allows herself to enjoy the heated embrace thoroughly instead of rushing things, feeling like they’re on fire as her skin sticks to the other girl’s. She can feel Alison attempting to create friction between her own legs, however, so Emily presses her body down and the blonde’s mouth opens in response, no sounds being able to escape. In turn, the brunette smirks but bites onto her lover’s bottom lip, tugging away with a quiet, breathy laugh due to hearing Alison’s fresh, content moan. Emily rolls her hips just enough for Alison to feel a newfound sensation between her thighs, eliciting another, low sound from the girl’s throat while the brunette smiles in admiration and lust. Again, their lips collide when Alison wants to feel even closer and doesn’t know what else to do, feeling pressure mounting in her core.

Emily breaks the kiss after another minute, nudging her nose against Alison’s with a smug, lovable look covering her features.

“Would you rather feel me up here, or down there?” she toys with the blonde’s frustration, loving the feeling of being in control.

The question is enough to pull a deep whimper from Alison, but no words follow. In fact, she pulls Emily in for yet another, heated kiss while cupping her jaw, bringing her impossibly closer until her hands slide down to the brunette’s shoulders as she leans her head back and firmly pushes the girl downwards. Emily takes the gentle yet forceful motion as a silent instruction, skillfully sinking lower with a series of pecks, open-mouthed kisses, tongue-drags, and bites along Alison’s body. The girl pressed against the mattress tries to keep up, wholeheartedly enjoying every single sensation that graces her body while Emily goes down on her ━ especially when she feels her underwear being dragged down her thighs until fully removed.

Emily doesn’t do anything, at first. Instead, she looks up at Alison who waits for whatever the girl is planning on doing, her own fingertips dragging up and down her stomach. The brunette smirks and bites Alison’s inner thigh, listening to the sound of a sharp breath disrupting the quiet air. 

Before Alison can prepare herself any further, Emily drags her tongue up the girl’s center, earning a content groan from the blonde who tilts her head back. In response to the reaction, Emily wraps her arms around Alison’s thighs and pushes forward, moving her tongue quickly until she decides to toy with the blonde’s clit, feeling open legs quiver against her shoulders. She works against the length of Alison’s damp skin, simultaneously using her thumb to rub against the girl’s most sensitive area in a languid motion. Alison, being introduced to the new sensation, tangles her right hand in Emily’s hair while using her left to hold onto the pillow like the brunette had to do, beginning to struggle when it comes to keeping up with her lover’s pace.

Emily removes her thumb and replaces it with her lips, sucking gently on the same area as the grip on her hair gets more tangled, pulling her face closer as Alison’s hips shift to match her motions. Emily hums against the skin, eliciting a whimper from Alison when she feels the vibrations against her center, and the brunette speeds up her movements until she feels the girl already beginning to crash. 

Alison’s legs shake and Emily’s name is repeated at least five times in the course of twenty seconds, woven into a chain of heavily frustrated yet satisfied responses to the way the tip of the brunette’s tongue twirls around her clit. The brunette uses the full width of her tongue to send the girl over the edge, slowing down her ministrations as Alison’s breathing picks up before crashing again.

The tanned girl pauses for only ten seconds, afterwards bringing her mouth back to Alison’s pulsating center and resuming her previous movements as the blonde’s jaw drops because she’s never going to survive this feeling so soon after her first orgasm ━ or  _ second _ , technically. She scrapes her nails along Emily’s head while her legs try to close, only to be held open by the brunette who slides her hands up the girl’s body until she’s able to squeeze her breasts, being given such a large reaction that, in the end, is so choked up and can’t come out aside from the blonde’s lower half shifting repeatedly. 

Emily’s tongue pushes further into her lover before she casually scrapes her fingers back downwards, easily sliding two digits into Alison while putting her mouth back onto the blonde’s clit so she gets a louder response. Alison’s moans get deeper and more frequent shortly after, sounding raspier as her voice cracks because she’s trying to keep a hold on her bottom lip but can’t.

Her body begins to relax into the feeling again, almost like it’s deciding to wait a few more seconds before another climax stirs in her core. She feels her back sticking to the comforter as she moves, lower torso lifting off the mattress every now and then while trying to force another orgasm by moving her hips to help gain more friction solely because her body feels like jelly and she can’t take it anymore.

Emily senses the struggle from where she moves her tongue, ultimately deciding to help Alison because, really, she just wants to kiss the girl again since they’re both practically mush by now. 

So, without delaying any longer, she spreads her fingers so her tongue can push further into the girl, hearing a quiet yet satisfied “Oh my God” come from Alison who now uses both of her hands to hold her lover in place, pulling her as close as possible as she’s hit with another, heavy wave of feeling between her legs. The brunette rubs her warm tongue against the girl’s most sensitive area in the meantime, pushing the orgasm further as Alison legs tense up while her back arches.

When the highest point of Alison’s climax flows through, her back collapses onto the bed while her hands gently fall away from where they held Emily’s head, tumbling onto the mattress as her eyes stay sealed shut with deep breaths leaving her mouth. She shifts her legs slightly, absentmindedly rubbing her heels along the mattress while trying to regain a sense of reality.

Meanwhile, Emily kisses her way back upwards to come face to face with the blonde, not expecting any words or gestures so soon because Alison looks like she’s lost in her own world with her eyelids clasped shut, hands lifeless at her sides. The brunette kisses the corner of the girl’s lips like before when their roles were reversed, watching an abrupt smile appear on Alison’s face until it fades while she goes back to trying to regulate her breathing.

“Now look who’s worn out,” Emily teases half-heartedly, drawing a small laugh from Alison who has to swallow hard so she can speak.

“You win,” she manages to get out, only to earn a giggle from the brunette who hums afterwards. 

“Mm, I think we both win,” comes the whisper as she peppers Alison’s cheek and jawline with more kisses.

More time passes before she leans forward and kisses Alison fully, feeling the blonde melt into the lip-lock now that she’s found some extra strength. Emily backs up after a minute, looking at Alison with a genuinely happy yet vulnerable grin. The blonde stares at her in the same way, tilting her head to the side before leaning in and kissing Emily on the nose, getting a chuckle in response to the silly gesture. 

Once again, they lock eyes and the brunette’s smile falters a little but remains hidden behind her eyes, being given a curious look from Alison as they linger an inch apart, noses almost touching.

“You’re mine,” Emily whispers, sounding more like an underlying question than a proclamation.

After allowing the words to linger for a second or two, Alison kisses her with lips that lightly press against her mouth, just brushing past the soft skin before backing up with a barely audible “I’m yours,” being granted another, long and meaningful kiss until it’s broken once more when the blonde finishes with a muttered “always.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You're mine." / "All yours." / "You're mine." / "I'm yours, always." ━ Do I smell a "DTR moment"? Did we basically define the relationship? Huh. Well, that's good… mostly because we're about to define it even more pretty soon. ━ Adding onto that, we've finally gotten to: "You're different. A different different, but a good different. I like it. A lot." Where'd we start? I think it was simply "A different different" or Emily entirely ignoring the concept that Alison could have possibly changed. ━ Another thing: "Our bed." Is this part of defining the relationship, or something even further? Are they sharing a bed now? What's going on? It holds a different meaning, especially when Alison stopped the moment just to say it. How does one have a conversation within a conversation while in bed?
> 
> We learned something big in this chapter: Emily was Alison's first kiss (and vice versa). It'll be addressed again, certainly, and I'm sure a bunch of you would like to see those three kisses ━ perhaps in flashback form. Another thing we saw was Alison seeming like she doesn't believe Emily when she uses the line "You're different" ━ because she doesn't believe it, unfortunately.
> 
> Ch 15 is like… maximum domesticated fluff. Yes, Emily will make breakfast, don't worry. The chapter, in general, will be a monumental step in their progression which I am sooo excited to show you. In less-spoiling words, the iffy energy from Ch 1-5 will be made up for, I promise.
> 
> Next update: Saturday (the latest).
> 
> I hope ya'll enjoy PLL tomorrow and, if there's angst between our two lovebirds, I hope you're able to see the beauty in it. I know the series' clock ticking down can be nerve-wracking, but I cannot express how solid this build-up is about to be. Again, maybe it's just the writer in me that can see it (because the shipper in me is like justfuckingkissplease), but… like… take my word for it. Love you guys.
> 
> I'll see you soon.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First and foremost,
> 
> I'd like to say that I received multiple reviews including hug offers, and now I'd like to accept those offers, thank you. For those of you who said you love me, I love you too.
> 
> To address 7x12 (and spoiler warning, if you haven't watched yet): Although the Emison scenes were short and scarce, they were massively important for another base. Alison being vulnerable in her classroom was relieving (especially since Emily had snapped at her, the day prior), and Emily allowing herself to be the same around Alison (the key scene, A.K.A. a very symbolic scene, if you catch Alison initially pulling the key away from Emily, silently letting know Emily that she trusts her but can still take away what she's giving her), then this whole "You're not doing this alone" parallel. ━ Again, PSA: Please don't come into my reviews and bash Marlene, the other writers, the writing, etc. That's my one request. You can vent your frustrations, but don't be flat-out rude and mean. ━ You're always welcome to discuss PLL with me via PM, or over on Tumblr ("capn-charlie"), but just respect that I don't feel like holding a Mar-roasting session.
> 
> Now, where were we? Oh, yes. I think I owe ya'll a "morning after" scene.
> 
> It's show time.

Her arm balances the tray full of food and the lone, covered cup successfully, keeping a sturdy pace as she places the handle-adorned serving platter on her dresser. She studies the food items with pursed lips, making sure she remembered everything she set out to make because, after all, she wants to impress Alison with this breakfast and she’ll be damned if it’s not as perfect as she imagined.

The blonde rests behind where she stands, cuddled up to her lover’s former pillow as a great deal of her naked skin is exposed to the muffled sunlight streaming through the curtains that the brunette had closed once she woke up, hoping to let Alison sleep a bit longer.

Once their bodies and energy crashed last night, the two laid in bed for an extended period of time, just facing one another with flickering eyelids as Alison traced patterns on the skin of Emily’s bare shoulder. The brunette smiled at the sensation, though she was beginning to feel much more shy as the minutes passed because her libido was finally cooling down and, suddenly, she realized what had transpired for the past however-many hours. Frankly, it was a lot to take in. Alison had the same epiphany but somehow managed to keep it locked inside her mind without coming off too nervous on the outside, more so because she wanted to keep Emily’s possible worries at-ease. 

They kissed every now and again, missing the feeling even though they had been at each other’s mouths for hours prior, but neither complained because they reveled in the feeling. In fact, if you asked Emily right now, she’d admit that she already misses it.

Her mouth curves into a satisfied grin as she moves away from the dresser, leaving the tray on the wooden piece of furniture so she can first wake Alison up without pressing a heavy slab onto the girl’s stomach as she sleeps. She crawls onto the bed and manages to replace her cuddled pillow with her own body, immediately brushing her lips against the blonde’s in order to help her wake up a little more. Alison hums into the kiss, smiling sleepily as she reacts to the feeling of Emily’s lips on her own.

“Good morning,” Emily gives her another peck on the mouth, and another,  _ and  _ another.

“Morning,” Alison’s eyes finally crack open, soon closing again as she cuddles up to the brunette who rolls onto her back so she can hold her lover. “When did you wake up?”

“A little less than two hours ago,” a small kiss is pressed against the blonde’s head as Emily’s nails drag up and down her skin.

“I can tell it was a while ago,” she gets out a sleepy laugh. “You’re dressed.”

“I had to shower,” Emily chuckles. “Plus, I didn't feel like making breakfast while naked.”

“Mm, you  _ really  _ didn’t have to do that,” Alison looks up. “I made that request  _ before _ …” her voice trails off as her eyes look around, hinting to the previous night’s activities. 

“I told you I would, so I did.”

“Thank you,” she leans up and kisses Emily again, slowly rolling onto the brunette while she takes the covers with her.

Emily’s fingertips drag up and down her sides with little pressure, not wanting to go further because she’s not about to ruin the breakfast she made solely because she can’t control herself around Alison. The blonde doesn’t seem to care, however, because she cups the other girl’s jaw with her right hand and strokes the skin beneath her thumb, kissing Emily firmly and not wanting to depart. The tanned girl’s hands end up sliding along Alison’s back, extracting a tiny whimper once her nails scrape the soft skin under her palms.

“Your breakfast is going to get cold,” Emily manages to get out, words almost being muffled by lips that want to keep kissing her.

“I don’t care,” Alison says but laughs afterwards, especially when the brunette sinks her head further into the pillow so she can shoot the girl a pointed, pouting look.

She backtracks, “I’m kidding, but really…” another, deep kiss is given to Emily’s lips, “thank you.”

Emily revels in one final, heated and short kiss pressed against her mouth before Alison tilts to the side and rolls onto her back, eventually finding the strength to sit up while the bedsheets cover her chest for the most part. Emily gets up in the meantime, walking over to the dresser and stealing a strawberry from the cup of fruit she’d assembled.

“Are you eating my breakfast?” Alison’s accusatory voice sounds from behind her, earning a cheeky “No…”

“ _ Mhm _ ,” the blonde doesn’t believe it at all, especially when Emily turns around with sealed lips and an “innocent” smile. 

The brunette brings over the tray of food ━ save the orange juice that still sits on the dresser ━ and places it in front of Alison.

“We’ve got… pancakes, bacon, eggs, fruit, and…” she walks back over to the dresser and grabs the now-uncovered cup of juice, giving it to Alison, “orange juice.”

“Not bad,” the girl smirks, being shown a glare. “It’s perfect, Em. You even brought a little syrup dispenser.”

“You know, I’ve actually never used that before,” Emily squints her eyes but smiles.

“Well aren’t I special,” Alison bites into a piece of bacon, grinning at the brunette who carefully rounds the bed to sit down, sliding somewhat behind the other girl so she doesn’t tip anything over.

The blonde continues, “Aren’t you going to eat?”

“Honestly, I was eating a lot while cooking, so…” she laughs and Alison shakes her head with an amused expression, enjoying her breakfast thoroughly.

Emily peeks over Alison’s shoulder and slowly reaches for the cup of fruit, stealing a grape as the blonde emphatically clears her throat.

“ _ Hm _ ?” she pretends nothing happened.

“You’re lucky I’m way too satisfied with everything else to even care about the damn fruit.”

“Is  _ that  _ why I’m lucky? Hm…” Emily purses her lips.

“What’s the reason you were thinking of?” Alison grins, though the brunette can’t see since she’s sitting further back on the bed.

She never gets an answer. Instead, the girl shimmies her body further against the blonde’s until they’re inches away, Alison sitting up between her stretched-out legs. 

Emily smiles and moves the girl’s hair to one side, afterwards placing gentle, deliberate kisses along Alison’s naked shoulder and neck, sometimes trailing down her upper back and bare arms. Alison breathes out at the sensation, having to stop eating for the time being because she can’t concentrate when Emily’s smooth lips move against her skin at such a slow rate.

“I’m never going to be able to finish breakfast this way,” she mutters after biting her lower lip for a split second.

“I’m sorry,” Emily places a final kiss to her shoulder, soon making herself settle on dragging her fingertips along the same, bare areas.

“You really meant it when you said you can make nice breakfasts,” Alison comments, finishing the pancakes and eggs.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

“We’ll have to do this again sometime,” the blonde throws back, slightly turning her head and smirking before going back to finishing her last piece of bacon.

“The breakfast? Of course,” comes the other girl’s reply, absentmindedly answering as she rubs at a small stain on her shirt.

“Mm, I meant everything.”

Emily stops paying attention to the piece of clothing as her eyes look upwards, afterwards rubbing her lips together and trying to stop the smile that graces her face but, in the end, she can’t, so she clears her throat with a barely audible “Of course.”

Alison breathes out and picks up the tray so she can place it on the bedside table. Once it’s secure, she turns back to Emily and smiles, eyes drifting to the girl’s lips time and time again. To distract herself, however, she decides to strike up a new conversation.

“So, what’s up for the day?”

The brunette sighs, “I actually have to go grocery shopping. We have like… nothing in the house since I just used up most of everything.” 

“What time?”

She shrugs.

“I’ll go shower, then,” Alison places another kiss to Emily’s lips, never being tired of the feeling.

“You’re coming?” the brunette raises an eyebrow as she watches the girl get out of bed, soon being completely naked as she stands near the mattress, and Emily mentally scolds herself for allowing her eyes to wander ━ which Alison  _ completely  _ notices but doesn’t mention.

“Yeah, why not?” she tilts her head to the side, a smirk forming because Emily seems to be struggling.

“I didn’t know if you’d want to,” Emily makes a face and looks away.

“If you’re going, I’d love to,” Alison walks around the bed so she’s closer to the girl who tries to focus on something other than the blonde’s body adorned with faint, red marks from the night before. “That is… if you don’t mind,” her eyes narrow playfully.

When Emily continues to look elsewhere, Alison gingerly reaches for the girl’s chin and tilts it upwards so they’re making eye contact, slowly leaning down and kissing her again. The brunette allows herself to enjoy it fully, smiling against the other girl’s mouth until the kiss is begrudgingly broken. Blue eyes stare into brown for an extended amount of time, not being able to completely focus because, really, they both want to stay in bed for the rest of the day ━ and maybe they should, Emily internally debates.

“I changed my mind. I think we should stay home, instead,” the brunette tries, a laugh coming from Alison who stands up straight, arms folded across her chest so the girl is less distracted.

“Yeah, that’d be perfect until we nearly starve to death because there’s no food in the house.”

Emily makes a mocking face and Alison bends down again, placing her hands on the girl’s thighs.

“I’m not going anywhere without you,” the blonde whispers against her lover’s lips. “You can wait until later.”

“What do I get for waiting?” she tries to play along as she feels fingers gripping her thighs, her voice coming out strangled as they remain at eye-level.

“Emily Fields,” Alison half-heartedly scolds with a light voice, “I'm seeing a completely new side of you this morning and, I've gotta tell ya, it's pretty needy,” she teases but giggles when Emily looks sheepish.

To answer the playful question, Alison leans forward and mutters, “I’ll show you tonight,” with a soft kiss being placed against Emily’s bottom lip a second later, the gentle feeling lingering even after the blonde backs up and leaves the room to find some clothes and shower in the upstairs bathroom.

Emily breathes out heavily, allowing her body to relax while thinking about the events that have unfolded within the past, two days, remembering their kiss in the pool and everything that happened afterwards. Again, Emily smiles at the thought, enjoying her time with Alison more and more by each, passing day. Within weeks, she’s gone from wanting to make the girl suffer as much as she had in high school to wanting to actually  _ stay  _ with the blonde ━  _ forever _ ; Alison has become her home.

In all honesty, she’s been thinking about their marriage more in recent days, wishing that it had less of an “accidental” memory and more of an “official” vibe, no matter what the certificates say. Part of her knows that Alison wants it too, once she remembers the love swirling within those blue eyes last night, but neither are willing to voice the idea because, well, it’s not like they’ve been together for a while. On the other hand, it’s like they now substantially  _ know  _ one another and it’s become humanizing, to a degree. Emily loves the feeling and, realistically, she’s starting to want to do something extremely outrageous and maybe a bit straight-forward but, contrary to how she used to feel about adventurous things, she doesn’t hold back because of her paranoia and/or anxiety of rejection; in her heart, she knows this is right, even if she hadn’t admitted it earlier when she first felt everything ━ A.K.A. when she laid eyes on Alison for the first time since they were teens.

Her feet take her out of the bedroom as she glances at the bathroom door, quickly and carefully descending the staircase before turning the corner. She walks into the kitchen and pauses to listen for the noise of the shower in case Alison’s finished already, but she makes out the sound of the water hitting the floor and, with a deep breath, dials Hanna’s number, set on making a  _ very  _ big decision that she’s going to need some backup for.

 

X X X

 

“Alright,” Alison tosses two boxes of microwave popcorn into the cart, “what’s next?”

Emily looks at the contents of their carriage before studying the short list another time, making a face as she reads. The blonde chuckles at the sight, mostly because the list isn’t that long but the other girl’s been acting like it’s five pages since they arrived.

“Um, I think we have━” the brunette tries, only to be cut off by Alison.

“Do we have stuff for ice cream sundaes?” for whatever reason, her voice sounds lecturing.

“I don’t think so,” Emily tilts her head to the side, soon having to follow the girl who all but runs out of the aisle and toward the frozen section.

She grunts and pushes the cart, mind pretty cloudy ever since they left the house ━ for multiple reasons. Her eyes scan the shiny, tile floor while leaning against the carriage and pushing their things along, thinking about how they ended up getting lost in one another before leaving for the store ━ once again ━ because neither girl can find the power to stop what’s been building between them since waking up ━  _ and  _ the night before.

_ Emily starts to climb the staircase once she’s cleaned up from breakfast. She notes that Alison’s been out of the shower for a while, especially because she had been listening for the sound of the water shutting off since she called Hanna with an important question. Really, her nerves are currently through the roof but she tries to force herself into breathing without having a panic attack, hoping that a kiss ━ or many ━ will cure her anxieties about the two, short conversations she just had. _

_ When she reaches the step that’s high enough to see into the billiards room, her eyes catch sight of Alison leaning over the table to take her final shot with only the eight-ball being left from last night’s game. Emily rolls her eyes heavily, chuckling at the girl’s concentrated face until she reaches the last step and Alison pauses her shooting process to glare at the brunette. _

_ “You’re going to throw me off. Stop looking at me,” Alison squints at Emily who smiles softly and walks toward her, being given a stern finger-point and wide eyes that hold a warning.  _

_ Emily holds her hands up in surrender, emphatically walking somewhere off to the side while facing Alison who, with a huff, leans back down to take the last shot. The brunette pays attention, both watching the girl’s body language and the way she hits the cue ball. She snorts and laughs hard, however, when Alison mis-hits the eight-ball in a way that sinks both the desired target and the cue ball, thus making the blonde lose the entire game. _

_ “Are you fucking kidding me?” Alison looks beside herself, afterwards turning to Emily with an opened mouth and disbelieving features until they turn playfully dangerous when the brunette doesn’t stop laughing. _

_ “This is your fault,” the blonde walks in the other girl’s direction, advancing further when Emily starts to back up with a nervous laugh and continuous, surrendering hands. _

_ “I didn’t…” her voice trails off when Alison arches a challenging eyebrow, afterwards sealing her lips and deciding against finishing the thought. _

_ Emily backs up until her legs hit the arm of the couch across from the flat-screen TV, watching a devilish smirk come from Alison whose eyes look downwards until she hums, licks her lips, and pushes the brunette onto the couch with a grunt and a thud.  _

_ Alison straddles the girl not even five seconds later, kissing her with desperation even though they should be leaving for the store right about now. When Emily shimmies further along the cushions so she’s lying flat, however, Alison grinds down on the girl and a small moan tumbles from her lips, being swallowed by the brunette whose hands grip at her short-covered thighs. Suddenly, the tanned girl’s fingertips begin to travel underneath the hem of her shorts, eliciting another━  _

“Do you want chocolate or rainbow sprinkles for the house?” Alison breaks Emily out of her thoughts, smirking because she saw the brunette’s absentminded stare and knows exactly what she was thinking about because she’s also been━

“Rainbow,” comes the answer, earning a smile.

Emily looks down into the cart, noting that the girl picked out three, basic kinds of ice cream ━ strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla ━ and threw hot fudge, whipped cream, and cherries into the same area, now joined by the jar of sprinkles.

“Do we  _ really _ need this much ice cream?” Emily raises an eyebrow.

“Okay, one… ice cream has no limit,” Alison gives her a pointed look, “and, two, it’s on sale.”

“Fine, whatever you want,” the brunette relents, watching a smug expression cover the girl’s features.

“In that case…”

She shakes her head in response to Alison who, soon, walks away so they can check out. Emily pushes the cart toward the front of the store, immediately finding an open lane and placing item after item onto the belt. Alison stands behind the cart, semi-leaning on the metal bar while watching the brunette make light conversation with the short, blonde cashier. She admires the sight thoroughly, loving the way Emily can make something so simple seem much more beautiful ━ until she catches sight of the cashier attempting to make the altercation anything  _ but  _ professional. 

Her blue eyes narrow but she looks away, hoping she doesn’t come off too irritated because she’s not about to cause a scene in public even though she usually would; roughly, she doesn’t want to ruin their day together ━ or their…  _ relationship _ ? ━ so she forces a smile at Emily who looks at her with a curious head tilt.

When all items are finished being scanned, Alison pushes the cart past Emily and stands near the girl, looking around. She side-eyes the cashier again when the girl’s focus drifts downward, smiling heavily as if the two have known one another for years. Absentmindedly (or so she tells herself), Alison’s hand reaches for Emily’s and intertwines their fingers as she tilts her head at the brunette for a split second, waiting for the girl to finally receive her change and receipt before tugging her toward the door with nothing but an abrupt “Thanks” to the cashier.

Alison doesn’t say anything as she now pushes their cart with two hands toward Emily’s black car, attempting to relax herself in the process as the brunette follows whilst humming something. 

They reach the vehicle within the next minute, immediately loading the multiple, plastic bags into the backseat before Alison slides into the passenger’s side with a deep breath, eventually being followed by Emily who does the same in the driver’s seat after putting the cart away.

“I know what you were doing in there,” the brunette comments, looking at Alison with an amused grin. “The hand-holding and not-so-subtle glaring.”

The other girl’s mouth opens to argue against her accusation but only a laugh comes out, afterwards staring through the windshield without responding. It takes another minute of silence and Emily’s knowing glances for Alison to speak, her voice quiet and maybe a bit guilty.

“I’m sorry,” she shakes her head and focuses downwards, “I don’t know why it bothered me so much.”

“I don’t need an apology,” Emily smiles, laughing a little as she turns her body in the driver’s seat, engine cut. “It makes me feel wanted, if I'm being completely honest.”

“You won’t be saying that when I flip out on you for something you couldn’t have controlled,” Alison breathes out and leans her head back, hating how jealous she can get, not that she’s been hit with the feeling all too much in the last however-many years ━ but her feelings for Emily are  _ much _ different from what she felt for Holbrook.

“At least you admit it,” the brunette snickers. “Look, Ali, I don’t care how jealous you get over other people looking at me in a way you don’t like. It’s a valid thing to feel and you’re not the only one who gets jealous.”

“You’ve never seen me get insanely jealous, though,” Alison tilts her head to the side, pointedly looking at Emily who raises her eyebrows in correction.

“Do you  _ not  _ remember storming over to me and that girl in Vegas before forcibly kissing me  _ just  _ to make it known that we’re married?” Emily’s smug grin makes an appearance, drawing a small laugh from Alison when she goes to speak, though she’s cut off by the brunette who continues, “ _ And _ when Sabrina was still here, you weren’t exactly subtle then, either.”

“ _ Okay _ ,” the blonde tries with another laugh, “both of those times were because I was trying to get under your skin.”

“Who are you trying to convince?” she throws back, being given parted lips and a soft chuckle. “I think we both were kind of… done for… almost immediately,” the brunette smiles, more so at herself for not admitting it until recently.

“Speak for yourself,” Alison raises an eyebrow, having a glare sent her way by Emily who continues to sit, turned in her seat.

“Hm,” a short hum comes from her throat, “I kinda-sorta recall you saying that you wanted to kiss me before we got super drunk in Vegas. Don’t you remember? You told me while we were━”

“Alright, you win,” the blonde cuts her off with a bigger laugh.

“I’ll never get tired of hearing that,” Emily smirks, leaning over the center console to meet Alison’s lips, smiling against her mouth as the blonde attempts to deepen the kiss even though they’re sitting in the middle of a grocery store parking lot.

Within seconds, Emily finds the strength to pull back before her face is tugged forward again by Alison who kisses her harder. The brunette hums against her mouth but forces herself away from the other girl, resting her back against the driver’s seat before looking through the windshield while trying to focus clearly. Alison giggles at the stunned face, soon being looked at by Emily who narrows her eyes with a grin that says she just thought of something. The blonde tilts her head to the side, silently asking what her idea is, getting a vocalized explanation within the following second..

“What do you think about redoing some of the house?” comes her half-suggestion. “I mean, not  _ redoing,  _ but… I’ve been wanting to paint a few rooms and maybe get some small pieces of furniture, but…”

“Sounds… fun,” Alison nods slowly, a tiny smile tugging at the corner of her lips. 

Emily buckles and Alison follows suit, hearing the sound of the engine starting as the brunette comments, “I just want to bring the groceries home real quick so the ten pounds of ice cream won't melt while we’re in the home improvement store.”

The blonde snickers at the comment, looking out the window while Emily hums to something on the radio. Alison smiles at the sound but, after a minute of driving, speaks while staring at the buildings they pass.

“What rooms do you want to work on?”

“Um… the study towards the front of the house because, as of now, it’s just a room filled with ripped boxes and old books,” Emily squints one eye in thought, paying attention to where she’s going, “ _ maybe _ the living room, the kitchen could use some redesigning  _ eventually _ , and━”

“━the bedroom,” the blonde fills in the blank, smiling heavily while looking at the other girl.

Emily laughs and tilts her head back and forth in agreement.

“The bedroom’s so bland, Em. It’s like the guest room but…  _ not _ .”

“Then, yes, it’s on the list,” the brunette agrees with a tiny grin. “Whatever you think could use some work, really.”

“So I actually get a say in the redesigning?” the girl’s question is timid and quiet but there’s a smile on her face as she asks, earning a pair of shy side-eyes from Emily who forces herself to breathe.

“The house is half yours, isn’t it?” the rhetorical question is granted a quiet laugh from Alison and a bigger smile until the blonde shakes her head and bites her lower lip partly.

Alison internally sighs; technically the house  _ isn't _ half hers since they haven't touched a single, legalizing piece of paper following their “wedding,” but the idea makes her heart flutter nonetheless because, at this point, it's something that she hopes to make official in the future. Actually, if Emily were to ask her about her thoughts on it, maybe she'd even confess that, yes, she'd love to sign something legitimate and make it official. Currently, all they hold together is a marriage certificate that legalizes their commitment, but, in Alison's mind, that only holds a limited weight when they're not using all the “marriage” quirks to their advantage, so she decides to voice her thoughts with a tinge of teasing laced within her words, testing the waters.

“If you’re going to keep saying stuff like that, we might as well start filling out the official paperwork regarding insurance, possessions, and━” she lists in a flat yet entertained voice, being cut off by Emily who finishes the thought in a knowing question.

“Your new last name?” the brunette smirks while staring ahead at the road, causing Alison's lips to part before she tries to cover up her blushing cheeks by looking away.

As her blue eyes stare out the side window, she feels her insecurities trying to nip at her, still not knowing where they stand even though it's all been pretty damn obvious on both of their parts. She  _ wants _ to know, however, especially because of the _ “You’re mine” _ type of phrases exchanged the previous night. Truly, Alison knows it’s not a “friends with benefits” type of vibe, but who knows where Emily wants this entire thing to go. In the blonde’s heart and mind, she  _ knows  _ what she wants: to be with the girl sitting beside her ━  _ forever _ . She realizes, realistically, that she has no idea what Emily genuinely wants and, honestly, that makes her a bit nervous because what if she’s in too deep whereas the brunette isn’t ready for anything further? Hell, Alison already feels like she’s ready to throw her cards on the table and confess that she simply wants this marriage to be one-hundred percent now that they’re on the same page, but what if Emily runs away? 

She sighs at the thought, shaking her head before looking at the brunette who glances at her in curiosity and slight concern.

“Do you…” Alison’s voice trails off within seconds, a tiny frown curving Emily's mouth.

She tries again, rambling immediately with an unreadable tone, “Em, I don’t want you to seem so open to…  _ us _ … solely because you’re feeling high off last night. You don’t have to pretend to want something serious.” 

Emily feels taken aback by the statement but, before she can even open her mouth, Alison is quick to jump to her own defense when she realizes it came out kind of shitty.

“Sorry, I’m not accusing you,” she shakes her head. “I’m just…”

“I’m not pretending,” Emily’s voice is light and even-toned before she purses her lips. “And it’s not because of last night, I promise. I mean…  _ admittedly _ , I’m still pretty distracted,” she chuckles and so does the blonde, “but I want…  _ something  _ with you.”

“ _ Something _ ? Like what?”

“Something real,” she swallows hard, managing to keep herself from telling the girl that she wants something “equal” ━ the one, specific word that’s become a big hint for them. 

Truly, she  _ wants  _ to confess to Alison that she wants a real relationship, a real marriage, and a real  _ life  _ with her, but, similar to the blonde, she has no idea how the girl sitting beside her would react to the idea. Deep down, Emily knows Alison wants it just as much, but she wonders if it’s simply wishful thinking. On the other hand, all she wants to do is confess to Alison that she loves her and wants her forever, but the words won’t come out so, as she pays attention to the road, she’s stuck remembering her phone call with Hanna from this morning while simultaneously hoping that the decision she’s made isn’t too soon. For the first time in her life, she’s taking a huge risk and, quite frankly, it’s nerve-striking, but it’s actually empowering to know that, even though it  _ is  _ a gamble, she’s made a decision that she’s proud of herself for coming up with ━ and, tomorrow, it’ll be one that she follows through on.

Alison glances at Emily with a tiny smile, the expression growing when she sees the brunette’s brown eyes locked on the road as her own grin appears, looking a lot like she’s blushing while thinking about something. She doesn’t question it, however, because she doesn’t want to ruin Emily’s thought process. Instead, she leans her head back against the seat and breathes out heavily, silently sitting beside Emily who’s sucked into her memory as nerves begin to consume her like during the call.

_ “I’m thinking of doing something really… un-Emily-like,” the brunette gets out while pinching her lower lip between two of her fingers, pacing throughout the kitchen while simultaneously listening for the shower to shut off. _

_ She’s been walking back and forth for minutes, having felt her chest get heavier with every beep of the phone while she waited for Hanna to answer the call. When the girl finally picked up, Emily almost hung up but didn’t once she heard a comforting “Emily? Are you okay?” from Hanna. _

_ “This should be good,” she can practically hear Hanna sitting up on whatever seat she’s relaxing on, ready to listen. _

_ She doesn’t know what to say, at first. Internally, she wants to smack herself for the entire call but also refuses to back down from the overall idea, too tired of sitting back while life passes her by. Until Alison came along, that’s all she was able to do. Now, she can barely sit still and, honestly, she thanks the blonde for that. So, before another second passes, she manages to find her voice with a cryptic question. _

_ “Cheap ring, cheap marriage, right?” she gets out, listening to an already-knowing “Mhm…” come from the blonde on the other line, sounding like she’s smiling big. _

_ Emily swallows hard, “What if I gave Ali a real ring?”  _

Like before, the brunette swallows hard when she feels her throat closing up a bit, nerves skyrocketing already. She remembers the way Hanna practically yelled through the phone, sounding excited about the whole thing followed by an abrupt  _ “I swear, if you’re joking right now…”  _ When she explained herself to Hanna, the girl repeatedly responded with phrases such as  _ “You better do it,” “I’m so happy for you,” _ and  _ “I knew there was something real between you two. We should’ve gone to Vegas years ago.” _

_ “Be honest with me. Do you think it’s a stupid idea considering everything?” Emily bites her lower lip, listening for Hanna’s response. _

_ “I think it’s a fucking-spectacular idea considering everything.” _

_ “But I haven’t even told her that I love her, yet,” now, she rubs her forehead, realizing that she totally forgot something that’s quite important. “God, everything’s so backwards,” she massages her eye socket.  _

_ “Don’t you dare backtrack on this, Emily Fields,” Hanna warns. “You love her and she loves you,” she starts. “You know it, she knows it, I know it, Mona knows it━” _

_ “Okay, I get it,” Emily chews her lower lip again. “But is it too soon? I just… I feel like…” _

_ “Like it’s supposed to be?” the same blonde finishes the nervous girl’s thought. “That’s because it is supposed to be,” she emphasizes. “There’s no time limit on falling in love with someone, Em. You either know or you don’t, and, when you do know… you really know.”  _

_ Emily takes a deep breath, somehow understanding what Hanna meant, “Can you call Mona? I’ll need your help tomorrow.” _

_ Hanna damn near squeaks into the phone, feeling exciting about the plan but also a tad impressed that the brunette isn’t backing down. Her happiness falls flat, however, when Emily next speaks. _

_ “And, also, make sure you two bring the money you had bet on our marriage in Vegas.” _

“Are we going to stare at the house the entire day? If so, then yes… the ice cream  _ will  _ melt,” Alison chuckles at Emily who, two minutes ago, parked the car in the driveway but didn’t move after that.

“Sorry,” Emily shakes her head, “I… sorry.”

The blonde narrows her eyes in slight amusement, watching the girl get out of the car and almost trip over something outside, causing her to giggle. When Alison goes to slide out of her seat and help bring the groceries into the house, Emily gives her a quick and genuine “I got everything, don’t worry” and the blonde studies her skeptically but gets back into the car, watching the brunette take multiple bags into the house at once.

Her blue eyes stare at the front of the house as she wonders what’s going on inside the girl’s mind. Really, Emily had been silent for the rest of the way home ━ not to say it was very long ━ and smiled for a good portion of the ride even though she didn’t say anything. Alison wonders if it has something to do with whatever they are because, truly, she feels the same, silent happiness, but doesn’t want to assume anything so, in the end, she keeps to herself in hopes that maybe the brunette will let her in on some of her thoughts.

Suddenly, Emily exits the house and Alison watches the girl make sure the door’s locked behind her, quickly walking back to the car and getting into the driver’s seat. She turns the ignition on while being watched by Alison, completely ignoring the gaze because she’s way too nervous right now and, if she faces the blonde, she may melt into a puddle of nothingness. Alison’s lips curve into a smile once she realizes that she’s being blatantly ignored, noticing the girl’s shaky body language as a result of whatever; she knows that nothing’s wrong, per se, but it makes her genuinely curious on the inside.

“So, where are we going?” Alison asks, finally being glanced at by Emily who, afterwards, goes back to looking at the road.

“Home Depot,” the brunette purses her lips. “I only want to look at everything today, just to get an idea of what we’re going to do and how much it’ll likely cost.”

“Have you done this before? You sound like you know what you’re talking about,” she comments and gets a smile from Emily.

“Actually, I’ve helped Toby redo a few rooms in his house,” comes the explanation and head nod. “I’m surprisingly handy when it comes to household things.”

“But you’re not the best decorator,” Alison points out, a frown being given in response. “Don’t give me that face. There’s like…  _ no  _ color in the house.”

“I’m just a boring person.”

“You  _ really  _ need to let go of that idea,” she tilts her head to the side. “You’re an extremely fun person, actually, and I love y━” her eyes widen and Emily raises an eyebrow when she glances Alison’s way before the blonde recovers with a quick “How interesting you are.”

Emily chuckles, listening to a deep breath come from Alison who looks out the window, thanking every higher power that they’re already pulling up to Home Depot, eyes glancing at the large, orange sign. The brunette finds a parking spot and pulls in, unbuckling immediately and exiting the car with Alison doing the same on the other side. 

Emily’s hand is grabbed only seconds later, their fingers entwining automatically while walking up to the large, warehouse-looking store. She revels in the feeling of Alison’s hand in hers, thoroughly enjoying how━ 

Alison suddenly unclasps their hands and grabs a larger cart, smirking at Emily who leans against the bar with wondering features. Without another word, the blonde uses Emily to sturdy herself, climbing into the basket of the cart as the brunette laughs at the sight.

“Are you serious?” 

“Oh, I am  _ so  _ serious,” Alison’s reply sounds seductive and Emily rolls her eyes with a nervous grin. “And don’t even  _ think  _ about purposely crashing into something.”

“Then you better behave,” the brunette shoots back as the other girl sits facing her, watching another, more-devilish smirk appear on her face.

“Have you  _ ever  _ known me to behave?” comes her reply, still sounding seductive but, this time, her eyes emphatically roam down Emily’s body, enjoying the tank top that the girl decided to wear out today. 

“Plus,” Alison continues with a whisper, “I thought you like when I misbehave,” she finishes while licking her lips in an exaggerated, deliberate way, being stared at by the brunette who attempts to keep a stone-like expression on her face.

“They have duct tape here, you know,” Emily raises her eyebrows at the girl. “It’s very useful when you want someone to  _ be quiet _ ,” she leans down with a pointed tone, only to be smirked at.

“How kinky,” Alison comments, not being able to keep a straight face as Emily laughs just as much before groaning and pushing the cart into the paint aisle.

“Okay,” the brunette breathes out and parks the cart close to the color samples, almost grunting at the thousands of choices while Alison reaches out and picks a random paper covered in four shades.

“ _ Rubber Ducky _ ,” she reads one of the choices, giggling to herself as Emily shakes her head in amusement. “Can we━”

“No, we’re not using that  _ just  _ because of the name,” the brunette takes the paper away and puts it back.

“Fine,” Alison relents, eyes searching the wall, “do you have  _ anything  _ in mind, or are we looking for a needle in a haystack?”

“Depends on what room we’re talking about,” Emily speaks while facing the colors. “Right now, the study has white walls that need  _ a lot  _ of patching since I never fixed it up at all.”

“Well, what do you plan on doing with the room? Are you planning on leaving it as a study, or…?”

“Not sure.”

“You’re a  _ huge  _ help,” the blonde throws sarcasm at the girl.

“What do  _ you  _ think we should do with it?”

“We?” 

“I was under the impression that you’re actually helping me paint things,” Emily looks at Alison, earning a growing smile as she nods with a happy “Okay, if that’s what you want.”

The statement holds an underlying conversation, almost like they’re afraid of discussing what they  _ severely  _ want.

“I think it should be a reading room,” Alison answers after ten more seconds.

“So… not a  _ study _ , but a study?”

The blonde rolls her eyes, “No. When I think of a study, I think of a desk with huge bookcases and that’s not what I mean. Just… put two, comfy chairs in there, have a few, smaller bookcases, and a cute light.”

Emily nods, “What color would be best for that type of thing?”

“Um…” Alison makes a face, feeling stuck, “let’s… come back to that one.”

The brunette laughs at the obvious pause in thinking.

“Okay,” Emily clears her throat, “but I’m sure you have an idea of what would be best for our bedroom.”

“ _ Our _ bedroom?” Alison smirks even though she feels butterflies stir in her stomach.

“I… I thought…” she trails off and the blonde giggles at the extreme nervousness, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I’ll take that as an invitation and, in that case, I accept,” comes her cunning response, “but I’ll have to steal the dresser or closet for my things.”

“Mm,  _ maybe  _ you can have one,” Emily tries, only to be glared at.

“Fine, I’ll stay downstairs.”

“I’m only kidding, Ali,” she smiles and the blonde matches it. “I’d love it if you’d make it officially  _ our  _ bedroom. Even if that means you using up all storage spaces.”

Alison laughs and nods with a comfortable “I’d love it too,” afterwards watching the brunette try to maintain eye contact even though she fails because whatever type of nerves are consuming her.

To help Emily out, Alison goes back to looking at paint with an absentminded “What about a grey-ish blue for the walls?”

Emily hums and nods in an impressed manner, picking out multiple, sample cards and handing them to the blonde so they can decide later on.

“So, what we  _ should  _ do is bring these home and figure out what kind of aesthetic we want for the bedroom, overall,” Alison explains. “ _ Therefore _ , that room is done for now.”

“Okay, what about the living room?” 

“Something tan would look nice for the walls, but it’d have to go well with the furniture’s colors since I doubt you want to buy all new chairs and couches.”

Her eyes widen in agreement.

“ _ Or _ … Rubber Ducky would look good in the living room,” Alison grins, watching the brunette roll her eyes. “I’m serious, Em. Look,” she reaches out and gets the same paper as before.

The brunette stares at it, noting how soft and pale the yellow is which, admittedly, would go great in contrast to the darker furniture and floors.

“See,” Alison smiles once she can tell that Emily is thinking about it.

Emily hands the girl the strip of paper so she holds onto it, a small chuckle coming from Alison who puts it in her pile of samples.

“What next?” the blonde asks while looking at the colors.

In response, Emily begins to push the cart away as they walk toward the already-assembled kitchen areas.

“I just want to see what choices they have for cabinets and whatnot,” she breathes out. “I'm not sure when or if we'll do anything with the kitchen because I don't feel like spending a fortune, but…”

They maneuver through the area, looking at the choices while Emily thinks about what she wants to do with the kitchen. Truly, nothing’s really  _ wrong  _ with the area, but it lacks personality and she’s sure that Alison agrees. In the end, she pushes the cart more toward the sink aisle, being stared at by the girl who still sits in the basket of the cart. Before Emily can ask if she needs something, Alison speaks with a random, amused tone.

“If you were stuck in this store with no one except a crazed serial killer, what would be your first weapon of choice when trying to defend yourself?” her question is granted an immediate laugh from the brunette who has no idea how to even  _ begin  _ answering. 

“What’s so funny?” Alison tries to frown but can’t hold a steady expression, afterwards crossing her arms and forcefully looking away. “I want to know what you’d fight back with.”

“Um,” Emily tries to think for a moment, “I don’t know,” comes another laugh. “Maybe some kind of handheld power tool,” she shrugs. 

“But what kind of handheld power tool? Those range from floor-sanders to power saws, Em.”

“A power saw, then,” the brunette rolls her eyes with a silly grin, moving the cart into the light fixture aisle.

“What kind of power saw?” Alison arches an eyebrow.

“You’re an absolute pain,” Emily laughs with a never-leaving smile.

“Already second-guessing that marriage talk?”

Emily’s laughter dies down but she shakes her head with the same grin.

“That’s not an answer,” Alison pries with a slight head tilt.

“Do you want me to second-guess it?” comes the girl’s rebuttal.

“No,” the blonde smiles partly, feeling timid and cautious when giving the response.

“And that’s your answer,” Emily smiles when Alison narrows her eyes as if she’s trying to read her lovable features.

Internally, the brunette begins to feel a bit better about her choice for tomorrow’s big trip to buy Alison a ring at a further-away store with Hanna and Mona. Currently, she feels like they’re really…  _ together  _ and, if you asked, she’d flat-out admit that, yeah, she’d love it if Alison decided to solidify this marriage into being something more  _ wanted _ . Before Emily’s thoughts can consume her again, she speaks up while moving into the next section of lights.

“Okay, what about if  _ you  _ were trapped in here with a serial killer? What would your weapon of choice be?” Emily raises her eyebrows at Alison who, after the question, begins to think with squinted eyes.

“Depends on what the killer’s weapon is,” she starts. “If it requires us to be within close proximity, I’d grab something lightweight yet effective.”

“And if it didn’t require you to be in close range?”

“I’d have to set a few traps,” Alison purses her lips as she looks from shelf to shelf, drawing a laugh from Emily as they come to a standstill. 

“Like what?”

“Not completely sure. I  _ could  _ lure the killer by tossing rocks from the garden area, then I’d drop a shitload of two-by-fours on him.”

“You sound like you’ve thought this through.”

“Mm, I just have a strong imagination,” the blonde offers a cheesy, tight-lipped smile.

“Did you obtain that imagination from reading comic books?” the girl’s voice is serious, not really teasing Alison for anything because she’s genuinely curious and finds it cute.

Alison seems to think for a moment, “Maybe.”

“I don’t remember you reading comics when we were in high school,” Emily points out.

“That’s because I didn’t,” she nods. “It’s one of the things Jason and I bonded over when Mom passed. He had a bunch and let me borrow a few until I got my own because he saw how much I loved them. All I ever wanted to do was sit down in a bright place and read. For years, they’ve kept me sane. In a way, at least,” her small story ends in a snicker while being admired by Emily who partially bows her head while biting her lower lip, thinking of something before making a tiny request.

“Maybe we can read one together, sometime,” the brunette suggests with a growing, hopeful smile, appreciating how much these books seem to mean to Alison. “You know… if you don’t mind me invading your peaceful, little bubble.”

“I don’t mind,” Alison says coyly, “but there’s an admission price.”

“Oh yeah? What is it?”

The blonde cutely puckers her lips and waits for a kiss, closing one eye in an exaggerated way while trying to see if Emily is leaning in. The brunette laughs at the face, ultimately not wasting much time before moving closer and planting a small peck on the girl’s lips. She backs up soon after, hearing a small hum come from Alison as she begins to push the cart back toward the paint area with a new idea in mind.

“People are probably thinking we’re super weird since I’m pushing the cart that my wife’s sitting in,” Emily comments absentmindedly, tasting the term on her tongue while enjoying it more and more with each use.

“Em, we have friends who personally know us and think we’re super weird, anyway. I don’t care what strangers think,” Alison raises her eyebrows pointedly. “Plus, they’re probably just jealous because they don’t have a fun marriage like we do.”

“Are you sure  _ fun’s _ the most accurate word?” Emily teases. “I was thinking more along the lines of unique or━”

“━spontaneous,” Alison smiles and fills in the blank before the brunette can. “I guess that fits.”

They make eye contact for a few seconds, ending with Emily parking the cart in front of the paint samples and earning an arched eyebrow from Alison who tilts her head to the side with narrowed, questioning eyes.

“I have a proposal and it  _ may _ be a little silly, but…” Emily starts and Alison leans forward a fraction.

She continues, “What if we make the study… somewhat comic book-themed?” 

The blonde’s face lights up and she has to look away for the time being, shaking her head with a laugh.

“Do you  _ really  _ want that?” she glances at the girl again. “Like… you’re not just trying to amuse me?” 

“I think… it’d make you happy, and that’s what I want,” Emily nods. “The study is practically a blank slate and it’d be perfect for you to make your own space since my stamp’s basically on everything else.”

Alison bites her lower lip and smiles.

“Yes, I would love to make it comic book-themed, Alison. I think it’d be perfect for that room,” the brunette continues with a dopey grin. “We can get some nice cases for your books, paint the room with the brightest colors, heck, we can even buy some beanbag chairs, if you━”

Alison leans forward and brings Emily’s face down to her own, kissing her hard and not caring if anyone is around them ━ even though the store’s been practically empty for the entire trip. She presses their lips together for an extended amount of time, soon backing up with a sheepish smile and a soft “Sounds absolutely perfect.”

Emily goes to speak, only to be cut off by the blonde who says, “But only if you’re positive you want that.”

The words, again, hold an underlying question that Emily immediately picks up on, shyly biting her lip before nodding with a quiet “I’ve never been more positive about anything. I promise.”

With one final peck to the lips, the blonde turns to the paint selection with a childish smile and picks out a wide array of colors. Emily admires the sight and helps Alison out, asking what she’d like the room to look like, in the end. Internally, however, she smiles at the thought of the blonde putting her own stamp on the house because, at the end of the day, half of their home really  _ is  _ Alison’s and, quite frankly, Emily wouldn’t have it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How bow dah? I adore domestic-fluff chapters. And Home Depot ━ but that's mostly because I'm a strange person.
> 
> You know, it's so much deeper than Emily simply giving Alison a room to toy around with. She's practically saying, "This is your space. Your room. Your freedom," and she knows, very well, that Alison didn't have that with Holbrook. Although Holbrook hasn't been mentioned or very much thought-of in recent chapters (a great thing, yes), he'll always be a stain on Alison's past and Emily is aware. Adding onto that, in another way, this has nothing to do with him; Emily simply wants Alison to feel at-home (and "equal"), and she wants her to know that she's completely dedicated. It's basically saying, "I want you to know that you always have a place here, regardless of what we are," without using those, specific words.
> 
> Actually, there were a lot of moments within this chapter that screamed, "I wanna say this but, instead, I'm going to say something else while hoping you can decipher what I'm actually trying to say." For example, Emily implying that she wants Alison to help her fix-up some of the rooms. Obviously, Alison would have to stick around to do this, plus her choices would be involved. Isn't that what couples do? Then we have Alison testing the waters and joking that they might as well sign some paperwork and become an actual, married couple with joint possessions and a shiny, conjoined last name, or, as I'd like to say, "Alison, just tell her you want to be an official Fields and let's get this show on the road." ━ Side note: Alison voicing her concerns about her jealousy is pretty major, actually. She knows how bad she can get, but she doesn't want to somehow ruin whatever she has with Emily, so she confesses what may or may not happen in the future.
> 
> I know a good percentage of you (or all of you) want me to address Emily's "plan." Again, I'm sure (on the surface) it looks like the situation is going fast but, like I said before, this isn't new. These feelings aren't new; they're only transformed and become stronger. In fact, I vehemently believe that Emily knew she wanted to (legit) marry Alison back in Ch 12, which is why she told Lucy about her marriage. To solidify that assumption, perhaps she's going to tell someone else pretty soon ━ or two, important people.
> 
> So, maybe Emily is taking a huge leap of faith, but, huh… I clearly remember how dreary she was in Ch 1. It looks like Alison really did push her into being a spontaneous, living human, and even Emily realizes that when she tells Hanna: "I'm thinking of doing something really… un-Emily-like." In exchange, Emily has (in a way) mellowed Alison out and brought her down to Earth. It's perfect. What's that cliché, "two halves to a whole" thing? Looks like we'll be seeing a meaningful ring, in the future. And, judging based on Alison's internal monologues, it seems like she wants it just as much. Buuut, don't forget… drama is always looming. ━ Side note: Alison almost slipping and saying, "I love you"... girl… just say it. We know.
> 
> Obviously, there's still a tinge of doubt floating between them, but that's pretty much normal (especially on Emily's end when she's actually planning on proposing, in a way), so this is what we'll be stuck dealing with. Never fear, however, because Ch 16 brings more fluff, Sparia + CeCe prodding at Alison, flashbacks, and Alison's dark-rimmed glasses. Oh, and two characters who we haven't seen for a number of chapters.
> 
> Next update: Thursday (the latest).
> 
> P.S. I posted this somewhat early because the 29th of April is the anniversary of when my uncle/godfather passed away in 2010, so I may or may not be in a shaky mood and I wanted to get this to you on time. Please send me and my family good vibes for the weekend, and thank you for your support. On every front.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, you guys are the greatest.
> 
> The fluffy from Ch 15 was great, I agree, but now we're about to read Ch 16 which is practically "fluffy: pt. II." With fluffiness comes a long-ass author's note ━ AGAIN.
> 
> "Namaste, bitch" ━ Sydney Driscoll, 7x13, telling ya'll to continue reading.

A tall pile of shirts is tossed onto the freshly made bed, toppling over on contact as Alison huffs nearby. The wrecked stack of t-shirts now spreads along the comforter, falling over her jeans and other clothing garments.

Humming to herself, she continues to move things into the bedroom’s expansive closet, silently thanking every higher being that it’s larger than the guest room’s; even though she doesn’t have much stuff, organizing is substantially easier, this way. She smiles while deciding where to store her items, having been playing with her new storage space for most of the day since Emily left this morning.

_“I didn’t know you had to work today,” Alison sits up in bed, having heard the brunette getting ready at the foot of the mattress._

_Emily turns around in partial surprise, not expecting the blonde to be awake. She should’ve known, actually, because the girl doesn’t sleep as late as she’d expect, but her mind’s been going a mile per minute ever since it began to really hit her that, today, she’ll (hopefully) be buying a━_

_“Em?” she leans forward with concerned, blue eyes. “Is everything okay?”_

_“Oh, um, yeah,” Emily shakes her head and walks over to Alison, bending down so she can kiss her on the lips. “I’m just tired.”_

_When the blonde arches an eyebrow as if to remind Emily that she never answered the underlying question, the brunette gives her another kiss before backing up._

_“I didn’t know, either,” comes the half-assed confession through an exhale as she sits next to Alison. “I forgot I had to work on a few charts that I was supposed to complete last week,” she lies in hopes that it sounds believable, attempting to hold herself together so she can leave to meet Hanna and Mona at a jewelry store an hour away._

_Alison tilts her head to the side, expression unreadable, initially hesitating before she’s able to whisper, “Are you sure you’re not going somewhere because of me?” without looking directly at the girl sitting in front of her._

_Emily seems taken aback, eyes narrowed a fraction with a careful “What do you mean?”_

_“You’re not…” she gains the courage to look into brown eyes, starting again, “You’re not leaving because you regret this, are you?”_

_She wants to giggle at the question, truly, but knows how offended Alison will get if she does, so the brunette settles on a comforting smile as she cups the girl’s jaw and leans forward to kiss her another time. Emily lets the kiss linger, shifting closer so she can deepen the embrace more than their recent lip-locks, and Alison hums against her mouth. Soon, the tanned girl breaks the kiss and moves backwards, only looking at the blonde with a sheepish expression that turns into something more lovable._

_“I promise, Ali, I’d never leave you, and I'd never regret this,” brown eyes lock with blue, both feeling pretty vulnerable at the moment. “I’m not trying to be too…” her voice dies before she’s finished, not knowing what she wants to say, so, in the end, she starts a new sentence, “I promise, okay? I’ll always be here. I want to be.”_

_The blonde feels three, specific words bubbling in her throat but can’t get them out. Realistically, she can’t even formulate a sentence but, before she can force herself to respond, Emily gets off the bed and walks away, earning an automatic frown. The brunette’s back faces the other girl, not wanting to feel rejected because she’s already having an anxiety overload regarding what she’s about to do, but turns around once Alison stands up and grabs her hand._

_When she looks into those same, blue eyes, Alison smiles even though it’s a tad shaky, and lips are pressed against hers within seconds. Emily’s own smile mirrors Alison’s, kissing the blonde who grips at her shirt. The embrace is broken after two more minutes, followed by Alison snuggling against Emily’s body as they stand, the brunette’s arms wrapping around her while hugging. Emily places a gentle kiss to the side of Alison’s head, feeling the girl smile somewhat against her chest._

So, once the brunette left (albeit reluctantly), Alison went about her own, morning routine. She ate breakfast, sipped coffee, showered, and began moving her stuff upstairs so she could store it in Emily’s ━ and, now, her own ━ closet. Throughout the day, she’s received texts from the other girl here and there, containing little _“I miss you”_ notes and one _“You better not watch any good movies without me”_ message. Alison smiled each time, loving how strong their relationship has gotten in the past however-many weeks ━ and, truly, she’s lost count, not that she minds.

Last night was perfect, as well, in Alison’s mind. Once the two left Home Depot, they grabbed a late lunch somewhere before returning home, immediately heading into the study and taping a bunch of color strips to the wall. Alison felt her heart flutter at the time, turning to Emily without hesitation in order to kiss the brunette heavily. Within seconds, Emily was pressed against the wall while being kissed by Alison who enjoyed every single moment of the abrupt make out session, eventually forcing herself backwards to give the brunette a sheepish grin.

They left the room after five more minutes, followed by Alison wandering into the kitchen so she could sneak some ice cream. Emily walked into the space a bit later, eyes landing upon the blonde looking guilty with a carton of ice cream sitting on the counter in front of her. She laughed at the sight and approached, swiftly stealing the container and walking away from Alison whose mouth remained open with a creased forehead.

_“That’s not fair,” Alison shoots her a pointed look. “I’m the one who took it out.”_

_“Yeah, but I bought it.”_

_“Okay, but it wouldn’t be in the house if it weren’t for me.”_

_“If you want it, then come get it,” Emily arches an eyebrow, backing up._

Alison took it as a challenge, of course, and approached the brunette who raised the carton above the girl’s head so she couldn’t reach, being only a few inches shorter than Emily. The blonde tried harder to get it, eventually being tired of the silly game and latching herself onto the girl while attacking the length of her neck with wet kisses as their bodies were backed up against the countertop. Emily placed the ice cream on the counter eventually, earning a devilish smirk as Alison took it back and walked away.

Their sundaes were made once Emily reminded Alison what she had bought at the store, piling the toppings high and sitting on the couch next to one another while watching a movie. At one point, Alison put a blob of ice cream on the girl’s nose, only to be glared at until she wiped it off, afterwards earning a bigger spot of hot fudge in the same place.

It took them a while to finish eating, mostly because Alison was too focused on painting Emily’s face using ice cream, but they eventually relaxed while cuddling on the couch. At the time, Emily noted how well the girl’s body fit against hers while snuggled against the back of the piece of furniture. She smiled at the thought, afterwards swallowing hard once she realized that she’d be buying a ring for Alison in hopes that they’ll be a _real_ , married couple. Hanna was correct, she remembered; it’s not about how long they’ve been together, but the fact that she knows it’s right and supposed to be.

Alison, meanwhile, semi-listened to the girl’s heartbeat and smiled, slowly leaning up and peppering Emily’s jawline with small pecks. She got an idea within seconds, fumbling for her cell phone once she reached over Emily and found the coffee table.

_“Whatcha doing?” Emily chuckles while Alison struggles to reach the device._

_She holds the girl securely so she doesn’t fall, afterwards shoving her back into place once Alison has a hard time getting into her previous position while laughing. Once the blonde is situated, she opens the camera and adjusts the device in front of them, her blue eyes watching Emily turn away and try to hide._

_“No, stop hiding,” she giggles, attempting to move the girl’s face back to how it was before._

_“Why?” comes the slight whine, getting an eye-roll in return._

_“We need a new Instagram picture, Em,” her response is obvious with a mostly flat tone. “I still have the other one up, and… I don’t know. I just want a new one with you. A sober one.”_

_Emily seems to debate._

_“Please,” Alison rolls onto the girl for a cluster of seconds, kissing her bottom lip as Emily stays stone-faced._

_“Fine, okay, fine,” she relents, feeling the blonde fall to the side so they can take the picture._

Once it was taken and posted, it became one of Emily’s favorites almost immediately. After careful deliberation on Alison’s part, she decided to post a happier-looking photo of them, this time with the brunette kissing her cheek in a much more innocent setting. Within seconds, Alison received Hanna’s comment of a lone, winking emoji followed by three dots, causing Emily’s eyes to widen as she mentally declared that she’ll have to kill the blonde who’s been making subtle hints via text ever since she was told about the girl’s plan to buy a ring.

Alison sighs once she’s finished organizing the closet, having left a good amount of space for Emily’s hung-up items.

She nods to herself before leaving the enclosed area, quickly descending the stairs and turning so she can walk back into the guest room.

Her eyes glance around the area, noting the rest of her things that she doesn’t exactly feel like moving today because she’s become bored and simply wants to sit around. She catches sight of the small, red, plastic box sitting on the dresser and swallows hard while facing the object, cautiously approaching. Alison next sees the memorable pen resting next to it, causing her to bite her lower lip while she rolls the writing utensil onto its side to see the cursive _“I do.”_ Her attention turns to the box again, feeling too nervous to pick it up but touching the smooth surface with her fingertips once she pushes herself to admire it.

She opens the case and sees the cheap yet shiny ring, wishing she had the courage to put it on in hopes that Emily would enjoy the sight equally as much. She can’t, however, because she doesn’t want the brunette thinking that she’s being forced into anything now that they’re on the same page. Her eyes stare at the sparkling piece of jewelry, loving how something so small has such a big story behind it ━ albeit a ridiculous story, at the same time.

Once her fingers clasp the box shut, it’s placed back onto the nightstand before she hesitantly decides to find the official, marriage papers, wanting to read what they signed that night. At first, she can’t remember where she put them, but, within seconds, she’s fumbling through a suitcase she left in the now-scarce closet, opening a secret compartment and grabbing the folded pieces of paper since she had idiotically crumbled them the morning after.

Her fingers brush against the official seal and signatures, feeling the curve of the pen’s markings while smiling. Something in her chest causes her to feel nervous, suddenly wishing she had the guts to speak up and ask Emily what she wants out of this. It’s hard, however, because she doesn’t think she has the strength to be rejected but, honestly, she’s curious to know whether or not the girl enjoys the idea of them staying together forever. She thinks Emily does, admittedly, but it’s not like either of them have flat-out voiced the concept of them living happily ever after ━ _married_ . At this point, the idea of splitting up is all too foreign to Alison and maybe a bit terrifying ━ or _very_ terrifying.

Although, what she doesn’t know is that Emily feels the exact same way.

Alison’s lips curve into a tiny smile again, looking at their sloppy signatures as she breathes out a laugh because of how drunk they were, at the time; she’s genuinely surprised that they could even hold a pen.

She sighs and places the documents underneath the plastic case and pen, glancing at them once more while getting lost in━

A knock at the door causes Alison to frown in confusion, only partly poking her head out of the doorway as she stares down the hallway. When another knock sounds followed by three, muffled voices, her feet take her over to the front door as she opens it, immediately coming face to face with Spencer, Aria, and CeCe.

“We’ve come to keep you company,” CeCe passes Alison and automatically moves into the living room.

“Way to invite yourself in,” Aria comments and stands at the door with Spencer, afterwards being motioned inside by Alison who laughs.

“I’m assuming that Emily told you I’d be home alone,” Alison raises an eyebrow once they’re all inside, watching Spencer and Aria share a look before they both nod with tight-lipped smiles.

“She felt bad for having to leave you today, so,” Spencer explains as she flashes back to the phone call she had with Emily the day prior.

_“Wait, are you serious?” Spencer smiles heavily, paying close attention to Emily’s response._

_“Yes,” she breathes out, “I am. I just got off the phone with Hanna and we’re heading to a few, nice jewelry places tomorrow around noon.”_

_“So you’re really doing this,” comes the half-realization, half-question._

_“Do you… think it’s a bad idea?” Emily begins to worry._

_“No, no,” Spencer recovers, smiling again as she listens to the girl audibly breathe out. “I think…” she doesn’t know what else to say so she begins a new sentence, “I’m really happy for you. Proud, actually.”_

_“God, I’m probably going to pass out,” Emily mumbles, hearing a laugh come through the speaker._

_“You’ll be fine. I’m sure Mona will keep you focused.”_

_“Um, while I’m gone tomorrow, can you keep Alison occupied? Go over and visit, or something. I’m afraid I’m going to accidentally drop a hint or she'll have time to question where I am,” she stresses._

_“I have work,” Spencer frowns even though she’d love to help her; truly, things have gotten so much better since Alison came around, especially because Emily now calls her and Aria more while holding genuine, upbeat conversations with them ━ and she admittedly thanks the blonde for that._

_“Please, Spence,” Emily almost whines. “It can be an hour, for all I care. That’s just one more hour of me feeling like I’m in the clear.”_

_“Fine,” she shakes her head, “but only because I want to see this work out for you and Ali.”_

_“Thank you,” comes a sigh. “I actually have one more request…”_

_“What is it…?” Spencer’s voice is flat and accusing._

_“Remember when you and Aria, my two best friends, bet on my accidental marriage?” now, Emily sounds cunning instead of cautious._

_“Yes…”_

_“I think it’s only fair if those same, best friends ‘bet’ on my potential, real marriage,” she finishes, earning a groan._

_“In all fairness, I didn’t want to bet, in the first━”_

_“But you still did.”_

_“God, okay,” Spencer relents. “I’ll write a check and kill Aria after she writes hers.”_

They sit around within the living room, discussing everything and anything with entertained voices. Alison admires the company thoroughly, especially since she’s been busy all day while her thoughts decided to eat at her brain. CeCe and Spencer sit in armchairs across from where Alison and Aria rest on the couch, the coffee table dividing them. A small wave of silence filters through the air once conversations die down, soon being disrupted by the short brunette sitting next to Alison.

“So, I was scrolling through Instagram last night…” Aria smiles while glancing at the blonde sitting beside her, watching a faint blush appear on her cheekbones.

When Aria doesn’t receive any other reaction, she continues, “I’m assuming everything’s… _good_.”

Alison takes the comment as a partial question, feeling the need to explain what’s been going through her mind as three pairs of eyes look at her.

“You know that feeling you get when you first start dating someone and it’s almost like you’re blinded by how perfect they are… but, after a small amount of time, everything sort of… crashes?” she speaks quietly, a tiny smile on her face.

“Yeah,” CeCe tilts her head to the side.

“It’s nothing like that,” Alison breathes out, her smile growing. “It’s _so_ much better. It’s like… this is where we’re supposed to be in life. _Together_ . It feels like we’ve been an…” she struggles to find an accurate word, “ _us_ for so long now. Like it’s nothing new.”

Spencer shares an impressed yet low-key excited expression with Aria as CeCe does the same, looking back at Alison afterwards.

“Have you guys talked about anything?” Spencer treads with a questioning grin, attempting to get more information out of the girl since Emily didn’t tell her too much.

“No, nothing like… _no_ ,” Alison seems nervous and her voice is timid with a small laugh falling from her lips. “I don’t know what she wants and I don’t want to ruin anything by being pushy. Right now I’m…” she trails off and purses her lips, never finishing the sentence.

“She’s crazy about you, Ali,” the other blonde speaks. “It’s not often I get to watch that girl turn into a puddle of nerves, so you sure as hell have some kind of hold on her.”

“It’s kind of impressive,” Aria comments with an absentminded nod, making a face.

“But do you…” Spencer tries, not knowing how to continue the sentence without putting Alison on the spot. “How do you feel about her?”

Alison looks at the brunette, remembering their conversation from the night of Lucy’s party. Initially, she keeps her lips sealed because she doesn’t know how to go about explaining, but, after a silent debate, finds her voice.

“I… love her,” comes her confession as she looks at her hands. “I haven’t told her yet, but… I know I do. Actually, that’s like… the _only_ thing I know nowadays.”

“Aw, that’s so sweet,” Aria bumps her shoulder. “Why haven’t you told her?”

“Every time I try, I feel stuck,” her eyes widen, remembering this morning. “I’ve loved her for a while, but I only recently admitted it and now the words just won’t come out.”

“Any particular reason?” Spencer coaxes, attempting to keep a smileless face because it makes her feel way too happy that they’ve seemingly fallen in love after everything.

Alison shrugs, “Rejection, maybe. I’m not sure. I wish I knew so I could move past it.”

“There’s no rush,” CeCe leans back. “Maybe she’ll surprise you and say it first.”

“She seems just as nervous,” the blonde chuckles. “She was acting so shaky last night and, I don’t know, it was almost like she was thinking long and hard about something. I don’t want to assume, though.”

“Ask her,” again, CeCe suggests, this time being given two pairs of wide eyes that Alison somehow misses.

“Or don’t,” the same blonde recovers. “It’s up to you, really, but I’m sure you two will be exchanging _I love you_ ’s in no time,” she ends with a forced, cheesy smile.

“What if she doesn’t feel that way? Or what if she doesn’t feel to that extent?” Alison stresses. “I’ve never dealt with that, and… she’s more than just a someone to me.”

“I don’t think it’ll be an issue, Alison,” Spencer shakes her head. “You and Em have become so solid together and, I’ll be honest with you, it shocks me but it’s a nice thing to see. I think you both deserve it.”

“But do you think she…” the remaining words don’t come out, Alison looking away as she bites her inner cheek.

“We have no doubt that she loves you, Ali,” Aria speaks next. “Even before you guys met up again, she was…” a sigh falls from her lips, “I don’t know how to describe it. She wasn’t the Emily we all once knew. She was distant and quiet, and… not _Emily_. She’s different with you. In the best way.”

“Look, I don’t know you all that well,” CeCe adds after thinking, “but I _do_ know Emily, or, I mean… who she was before you came back into her life and Aria’s right. I’ve never seen this side of her, but I’m glad it’s come out because, God, she’s like a shiny, love-drunk penny.”

They all chuckle at the comparison.

“She’s not the only one who’s been changed by this whole thing,” Alison mumbles while bowing her head, more so to herself even though everyone hears it.

“I can see that, too,” a tiny smile tugs at the corners of Spencer’s lips. “You’re softer.”

The blonde shoots her a pointed look, afterwards rolling her eyes when the brunette snickers.

“I don’t mean it in a bad way, I swear. You’re just…” her voice trails off before she starts a new sentence, “You’re different now. You and Em are both entirely new people and maybe those people should create a life together.”

Aria looks at Spencer for a short moment, not wanting the girl to give anything away but understanding that the taller brunette is pretty good at dancing around a topic.

“Sounds perfect,” Alison exhales with a shy laugh, afterwards sealing her lips in a new wave of nervousness.

“Did you just low-key admit that you’d like to stay married to Emily?” Aria smirks, bumping her shoulder again in attempt to make an underlying joke out of the actual, secret situation.

The blonde blushes and her lips part but nothing comes out.

“You so did,” CeCe adds, a smug grin of her own appearing.

“Like I said before… I’m not sure what she wants and I’m not about to ruin anything. We’re finally on the same page and I literally _just_ moved my stuff into the bedroom━”

“Oh, so you _are_ sleeping together,” Spencer’s devious expression strengthens.

“We…” Alison goes to speak but shuts her mouth, groaning when three pairs of amused eyes stare at her. “It’s new. New _-ish_.”

“Explain,” all three guests chime at once, drawing another, distraught noise.

“She stayed in the guest room with me a few times,” her voice is shy, smiling when she remembers how well she slept for the first time in a while during those nights. “There was a night when we stayed up and talked for hours while sitting on the floor. After that, I asked her to stay with me because I didn’t want to be alone.”

“That’s so cute,” Aria gushes and CeCe agrees with a solid hum.

The small brunette continues, “Wow, it _must_ be cute since _she_ agreed,” pointing at CeCe who frowns.

“I’m actually a pretty damn soft person, thank you very fucking much,” the blonde in accusation gets out, earning a laugh from both Spencer and Alison but an eye-roll from Aria.

Their conversations begin to branch off in regards to who’s been doing what, as of late. Alison asks CeCe about her job, hearing the response that everything’s going smoothly ━ although Jonathan is being a royal pain in her ass. The topic is next steered toward Spencer, CeCe groaning at the subject because she’s not the most involved in politics, soon having the spotlight put on Aria who shrugs and explains that she’s not doing anything new.

Overall, their time together is spent through meaningless chitchat and, occasionally, the massive teasing directed at Alison who blushes and/or attempts to change the subject again and again. She enjoys their company, however, while simultaneously waiting for Emily to come home because she’s starting to miss the brunette more and more by the passing minute. Strangely enough, the fluttering in her chest doesn’t fade while she remains talking with the girls, mostly because she knows that, sooner or later, she’ll have to tell Emily that she loves her. It’s nerve-wracking, Alison thinks, and she sinks further into the couch while time passes, internally waiting for the best opportunity to say those words.

 

X X X

 

Alison absentmindedly chews her lower lip as she scrolls through something online, having been sucked into the internet since the girls left. It’s currently nearing 6:45 P.M. and Emily should be home any minute ━ or so her most recent text message said.

Almost as if on cue, the blonde hears the front door open and latch shut, followed by the sound of a soft grunt coming from Emily who eventually walks into the room. Alison doesn’t look up as she carefully shuts the laptop, but afterwards glances at Emily whose lips part when she sees the blonde’s glasses. At first, Alison has no idea why the girl is staring at her with a dumbfounded, caught off-guard expression but, once she realizes it’s because of the dark frames that she rarely wears, a smirk appears on her face and she stands up.

“What are you looking at?” Alison’s voice is quiet as she approaches, not hesitating while coming nose to nose with Emily who remains speechless.

Blue eyes bounce between her lover’s struggling gaze and lips, tilting her head to the side with seductive body language while Emily attempts to get some words out but fails time and time again.

“Are you sure you don’t have any hidden fantasies?” the blonde kisses Emily once before mumbling against her mouth, “I can keep them on, if you’d like.”

The brunette leans forward and connects their lips deeper than prior, not trusting herself to _not_ say something idiotic right now ━ especially because of the day’s events. Surprisingly, everything went smoothly, aside from a minor mishap when she nearly walked into a glass door once she was hit with a massive wave of realization regarding the ring she _finally_ picked out.

_“I’ve gotta say,” Mona stands with her arms crossed, smiling as she stares at the ring that Emily’s picked out, “you really know Alison and her intricate tastes.”_

_“You’d be surprised how simple her tastes are, actually,” the brunette comments with a nervous grin, also studying the piece of jewelry. “She’s… much different than I expected.”_

_“I am so goddamn ready for you two to just… be together,” Hanna adds, making a weird, excited face._

_“Me too,” Emily smiles as much as she can, eyes bouncing between the girls and the ring that the man behind the counter takes away. “I hope she likes it… and the idea of…” her voice grows quiet when she realizes that there’s still room for rejection._

_“She’s going to love both the ring and the idea of you two staying together, Emily,” Mona offers some comfort. “You and Alison are perfect for each other. Never doubt that.”_

_The brunette breathes out and looks at the ceiling._

_“When did he say it’ll be ready?” Hanna looks toward the back room where the man previously disappeared._

_“Um… Friday, I think. It’s not entirely custom-made so it shouldn’t take too long. He said he’ll call when it’s sized and ready to go.”_

_“I still can’t believe you made us help pay for it,” the blonde grunts and crosses her arms with a grumpy expression._

_“I can believe it,” Mona purses her lips. “I’d do the same.”_

_“You could’ve warned me,” Hanna throws back._

_“I didn’t want to stir up some bad juju and simply assume they’d make things work,” the dark-haired girl shoots her a pointed look._

“Em, you there?” Alison brushes a few hairs out of her face, her voice soft.

“Yeah, sorry,” Emily shakes her head with a quiet laugh. “It’s been a long day.”

“Mm,” their lips press together again. “What has my wife been up to all day that’s made her so exhausted?” she raises an eyebrow and the brunette feels herself grow even more nervous, mouth opening as her cheeks take on a rosy tint.

“Work,” comes the half-assed shrug.

“What’d you do at work?” Alison hugs the girl, burying her face into her neck.

“I… did some paperwork,” Emily attempts to lie, trying her hardest to think while her arms wrap around Alison.

“You did paperwork for eight hours?” the blonde backs up and looks at the other girl.

Truly, Emily knew she’d been gone for a while but didn’t realize it was _that_ long. Before a few more seconds pass, however, she scrapes together another excuse regarding what she did at work.

“I also hung around the pool for a little,” Emily laughs partially, making it seem like she forgot even though she’s internally panicking since Alison’s eyes narrow.

“Hm, you usually smell like chlorine,” she points out, arching an eyebrow.

“I was only there for a couple minutes,” the brunette backtracks, “then I went back to my office with one of the trainers. He needed to look at some of my charts.”

“Doesn’t your office normally smell like chlorine, too? It’s right next to the pool,” a tiny, disbelieving smirk tugs at the corner of Alison’s lips and Emily smiles while shaking her head.

“Sorry, I meant his office. It’s on the other side of campus in a different building. No pool there.”

Alison tilts her head to the side, still smirking at Emily who seems as though she’s starting to crumble for whatever reason. Before she can mention it, the brunette gets out a sudden, realizing “Oh” and attempts to change the subject, quickly walking back into the hallway while leaving behind a confused Alison. When she returns, she’s holding a takeout box and grinning heavily, extending it for the blonde to take.

“I brought you a burger and some fries since I stopped somewhere on my way home,” Emily explains. “I wanted to wait to have dinner with you but I was starving.”

Alison takes the container with a big smile but, before she can thank her, Emily is speaking again.

“I was able to _vaguely_ recall the burger you said you were craving,” she chuckles before smirking. “You know, the one you started describing last night at eleven-thirty while staring at the TV.”

She laughs and leans in for a kiss, being granted one immediately.

“At least I know you listen to me,” Alison giggles.

“Occasionally,” she teases.

They move into the kitchen ten seconds later, Emily following Alison who walks over to the kitchen table and sits down with the container of food. She absentmindedly takes her glasses off, being stared at by Emily who forces a pout while standing by the fridge.

“I'll put them back on later, I promise,” Alison playfully rolls her eyes, being smiled at.

The brunette takes the initiative to pour two glasses of iced tea, casually placing one in front of the other girl who is already stuffing her face with fries. Emily hums while sitting down, taking a sip from her glass while staring at her phone that now lies on the surface beneath her eyes. She looks as if she’s debating something but Alison doesn’t comment. Instead, she takes a few bites of the burger and puts it down again, smiling at Emily.

“I’m actually very impressed that you remembered,” she nods, earning a shy grin from the brunette.

“Is it good?”

“Far beyond good,” her eyes go wide.

Emily goes to respond but she’s cut off before any words come out.

“ _But_ ,” Alison tilts her head with narrowed eyes, “if I didn’t know any better, I’d think this is some kind of apology for bad news you’re about to tell me.”

The other girl almost snorts at the underlying accusation because there’s absolutely _no_ bad news, though she _did_ feel bad for leaving Alison all day and also feels pretty guilty for lying about where she was ━ not that she’s about to own up to where she went.

Emily shakes her head with a small laugh, being stared at by Alison while she takes another bite.

“No bad news, I promise,” the brunette takes a deep breath, “but I _was_ thinking about something.”

Alison takes a sip of her drink while raising her eyebrows, silently telling the girl to continue.

“I kind of want to tell my parents,” comes the confession as she hopes to test the waters.

The blonde puts her glass down with curious eyes, “Tell them…?”

“About… _us_ . What happened,” she licks her lips before expanding on the idea. “Maybe not _exactly_ what happened in Vegas, but…”

Alison slowly nods, pursing her lips before biting into a fry.

“What do you think about it?” Emily’s voice becomes a whisper, not knowing how Alison will react to the idea since it’s a pretty big step considering how they originally came about.

“It’s not up to me.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

About five seconds pass before Alison takes a deep breath and looks at Emily, a smile appearing while her voice lowers to the same level as the brunette’s.

“I’d… love it if they knew,” she speaks honestly.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” she nods with a fuller smile, eventually narrowing her eyes with a more-toying nature, “but what are you going to tell them? Like… they already know we’re dating.”

Emily laughs as she remembers her parents’ visit when Alison had come out with that not-so-clever “lie,” randomly telling Mr. and Mrs. Fields that they’re a couple. Soon, she swallows hard and forces herself to breathe a little.

“I’m going to tell them that we’re married,” Emily treads carefully, trying to read the blonde’s features, “if that’s okay…”

Alison pushes the box of food to the side and leans somewhat over the edge of the table, flashing the girl a _very_ timid grin that falters for a split second because, honestly, she had her doubts that Emily wanted “married” to be their title ━ and maybe she still has doubts.

“I _suppose_ it’s okay,” the blonde whispers with a teasing voice, watching Emily lean forward in the same manner with an elbow propped on the table.

“You suppose?” she tilts her head to the side, matching the girl’s smile.

“Mhm,” they kiss, much like before, but their lips linger against each other for a bit after, admiring the close proximity.

Once they depart further, Alison continues eating what’s left of her food ━ save the fry that she abruptly shoved into the brunette’s mouth ━ while Emily sends a quick text to her mother before moving over to the sink, washing the two or three dishes that lie within the area. She hears Alison humming in content somewhere behind her, causing an admirable grin to creep onto her face while she gets lost in thought, remembering how everything began with a sudden kiss toward the beginning of their sophomore year ━ after weeks of flirting ━ at Rosewood High’s annual, Halloween corn maze.

_Their group of five passes through rows of dense cornstalks while holding school-loaned flashlights, having been stuck in this “special, Friday night event” for over an hour and a half now. In fact, they’re absolutely lost. The last group they passed was long gone and probably out of the maze, by now. They haven’t heard a voice since, aside from the chatter amongst themselves ━ mostly consisting of Hanna whining as she’s clung to Aria who walks alongside her, including phrases such as “Is this even real corn?” and “I really need to pee.” Emily has been silent for ninety percent of the trip, Alison notes, and blue eyes have glanced in her direction repeatedly. Spencer, obviously, acts as the captain of the group, deciding which path to take next ━ unless Alison challenges her._

_“You know, Ali, I’m surprised you didn’t try to drag Jeff here,” Hanna finds some courage to tease, likely to get her mind off their “impending doom” ━ or so she said about fifteen minutes ago._

_“Why would I do that?” the other blonde quirks an eyebrow, her voice confused and judgmental, almost as if the idea is ridiculous._

_“Aren’t you dating?”_

_“I broke up with him on Monday,” Alison waves her hand, Emily side-eying her but biting her bottom lip so she doesn’t say anything ━ not that she would._

_“What?” Aria raises her eyebrows, words turning sympathetic. “Why didn’t you say something?”_

_“Because it’s not important,” again, her tone is dull. “We weren’t even really dating. He was just… there.”_

_Spencer looks over her shoulder with a partial frown, also wondering why Alison hadn’t said anything because, a week ago, this kid was all she was talking about. At the same time, Aria and Hanna share their own, disbelieving expressions while Emily continues to remain silent. Alison, sensing their unvocalized concern, speaks again, this time with a lighter attitude._

_“Look, it’s a beautiful night and I’m feeling great. Trust me, you’d know if I wasn’t okay.”_

_“Whatever you say…” Hanna replies just as they take another turn and face a tall row of corn._

_“Shit, another dead end,” Aria rolls her eyes._

_“Spence, what happened to your sense of direction? You’ve lead us to five dead ends in thirty minutes,” comes Hanna’s panic._

_“It’s not like I’m doing it intentionally,” Spencer throws back, wide-eyed as they stand in a huddle._

_“Who the hell designed this, anyway? It’s like we’re not supposed to get out,” now, the same blonde whines as she looks at the dark sky._

_“That’s actually, exactly the point, Han. It’s like a puzzle.”_

_“Like Wizard’s Chess?”_

_“What?” Alison narrows her eyes while Spencer gets out “God, I hope not.”_

_Again, Emily stays silent, simply looking around with her flashlight. Alison turns to the quiet brunette and watches her study the maze, afterwards facing the group like prior._

_“Let’s split up,” Alison suggests._

_“That’s a terrible idea!” Hanna squeaks._

_“Yeah, I’m with Hanna. It’s getting darker and I doubt the school splurged on long-lasting batteries,” Aria hits her flashlight, watching it flicker._

_“We have phones,” Alison rolls her eyes. “Besides, we’re never going to find anything if we’re all clumped together with Hanna practically crying the entire time.”_

_“I was not!”_

_“Ali’s right,” Spencer intervenes. “We’ll probably get out faster if we split up into groups. I don’t plan on sleeping in here.”_

_“But what are the groups? We have an odd number, and I’m sure as hell not wandering off alone,” Hanna stresses._

_“Just two groups,” Alison shrugs as she walks over to the opening from which they came, finding two, separate forks in the maze. “You three go that way,” she points to one before gesturing to the other and backing up toward it. “Em and I will go this way,” blue eyes look at the brunette who seems conflicted, Alison silently pleading with her to follow ━ which, after another three seconds of hesitation, she does._

_“Why do you get Em?” Hanna’s voice returns to a whine._

_“Because you have three people in your group and we all know that Em has the best, protective instincts so it’s technically evened out,” Alison gives her a smile._

_“Okay, text me if you guys find the exit,” Spencer points her flashlight at them but Alison smirks before turning around, arm looped with Emily’s. “I mean it, Ali,” Spencer yells after them once they disappear into the maze._

_Emily and Alison walk while brushing shoulders once the blonde untangles their arms. Still, the brunette is silent as the other girl looks around, noting how much darker the maze looks when they only have two flashlights ━ one of which is nearly dead. Periodically, Alison glances in Emily’s direction, earning no acknowledgement at all. She knows that they’ve been in a mess of odd, confusing feelings lately, but the brunette hasn’t been this quiet in, well, forever. It’s bothering Alison, in all honesty, but not in the pissy way; the blonde simply wants to know what’s going on inside Emily’s mind._

_“You’ve been quiet tonight,” Alison looks at Emily while they walk through the maze. “More quiet than usual, I mean.”_

_Emily lets out a small laugh, not giving a response as they take a turn._

_“Is something on your mind?” Alison asks although she can hazard a good guess since they’ve both been experiencing some weird feelings ━ admittedly._

_They enter a “room” within the maze, being a hollowed-out area within tall cornstalks. The dirt cut-out has an entrance and an exit ━ or so they guess ━ while nothing resides in the middle._

_Emily ignores the question at first, but, when she decides to finally voice one of her thoughts, Alison stops in front of her, takes her flashlight, and shuts both items off. Next, she makes eye contact with Emily, somewhat scolding the girl with an underlying smile that asks her to be open._

_“You know I can tell when you’re lying to me, so be honest,” her eyes seem vulnerable, especially in the moonlight that bounces off the bright blue color._

_“I just feel confused,” Emily shrugs and bows her head. “I don’t feel like myself lately. Everything in my head… it’s weird.”_

_Alison gives her a sad smile and takes a step forward, brushing a few hairs out of Emily’s face while whispering, “Funny… you look like yourself. My Emily.”_

_Her sad, understanding expression is replaced with comforting support hidden within sparkling eyes, using her thumb to gently rub the girl’s cheek. Brown eyes struggle to look away, feeling overwhelmed by the cautious, lovable sensation she gets from the small gesture, and, before either of them realize what’s happening, Alison leans in and kisses her. It takes a moment for Emily to process the feeling, but she kisses the blonde with a timid nature, loving the way Alison’s lips taste and how soft she feels. It’s different from how she acts in front of everyone else: bitter and rough._

_The kiss only lasts seconds, but it’s long enough for Alison to break the lingering embrace, only to brush her nose against Emily’s before backing up with a stunned attitude. Emily doesn’t know what happened either, so her mouth opens and nothing comes out._

_Neither of them get a chance to say anything before two of their friends enter the dark, empty area, Hanna breathing out a relieved “There you guys are” without anyone noticing that Alison takes a giant, guilty step away from Emily and clicks one of their flashlights back on._

_“I guess this loops around,” Spencer makes a face, looking at the maze walls while shining her flashlight on the cornstalks._

_“Guys, over here,” they hear Aria’s voice in the distance, obviously finding the way out of the “puzzle.”_

_“Were you two even looking for the exit?” Spencer raises an eyebrow._

_“Yes,” Alison rolls her eyes. “We only stopped for a few minutes.”_

_“Come on, I’m sick of this place,” Hanna all but drags Spencer out of the maze to find Aria._

_Alison looks at Emily as if she wants to say something, opening her mouth and making a quiet, disgruntled noise as her eyes evade cautious brown, but she ends up walking away from the girl until she’s at the path where the others exited. Emily stays in the same spot, soon being faced by Alison who turns around again with an “are you coming?” kind of expression, though Emily can tell it holds an apologetic undertone._

“Wow, it _must_ be a good memory if you’re willing to let it turn you into a prune,” Alison teases while shutting the water off, having been watching Emily stay lost in thought while staring at the empty sink in front of her for minutes.

Emily laughs and shakes her head, blinking hard.

“What was it?” the blonde lifts herself onto the counter, sitting on the edge while somewhat swinging her feet.

“What?” Emily looks at her.

“You had your ‘lost in thought’ face on.”

“I have one of those?” the brunette jokes with squinted eyes, taking a step to the side so she can shimmy between the other girl’s legs.

“ _Yes_ , you do,” her eyes go wide. “It’s very distinct, actually.”

Emily laughs and hugs Alison, feeling the girl’s arms wrap around her.

“I was thinking about our first kiss,” she confesses.

“Hm, does it have anything to do with what I told you the other day?” Alison raises a knowing eyebrow, watching Emily back up to lean her elbows on the blonde’s thighs. “About you being my first kiss, I mean,” now, she narrows her eyes in accusation.

“Maybe a little bit…” the brunette blushes and looks down while shaking her head. “Like… are you _sure_ I was?” she asks with a dopey, disbelieving grin and Alison laughs hard. “I mean, it was sophomore year, and it’s not like you were single for most of _freshman_ year,” her statement is faced with raised, faux-offended eyebrows.

“I feel like there’s an insult somewhere in that observation,” Alison teases. “I’m positive, Em. You were my first kiss, just like I was yours. I promise.”

“But… I just…” the girl makes a face, not knowing what to say. “All those parties we’d go to… and spin the bottle… truth or dare…” she lists.

“Okay, first of all,” Alison’s tone is pointed, “when’s the last time you saw me play spin the bottle? The answer is never. There was never a last time, and there was never a _first_ time. That game’s too cliché.”

“But truth or dare.”

“Truth.”

“That’s not what I…”

Alison’s features are challenging, silently telling Emily to play along.

The brunette rolls her eyes, “Is it true that you never kissed anyone during truth or dare before our first kiss?”

“Yes, it’s true,” Alison chuckles. “Em, I swear… no one _ever_ kissed me before you did, and, even if they had, it wouldn’t change the fact that _that’s_ the kiss I’ll always remember.”

Emily bites her inner cheek and looks away, side-eyeing Alison.

She continues, “My first kiss was with someone beautiful and extremely special to me. It was absolutely perfect and I wouldn’t change a thing about it,” her voice is comforting, “except… maybe I would’ve asked for another one right after.”

The brunette bites her lower lip, attempting to stop a smile from making its way over her mouth. Alison catches the expression and brushes a few hairs out of Emily’s face, her demeanor turning nervous when she sees the brunette’s new, lovable grin. Automatically, Alison leans forward to kiss Emily while the girl remains standing between her legs. Alison’s hands cup Emily’s jaw, her thumbs stroking the soft skin underneath while they can’t stop their growing smiles from breaking the kiss. Alison nudges her nose against Emily’s, remembering their first kiss and how nervous she felt on the inside ━ a sensation similar to what she’s feeling now, though it’s currently much more welcomed.

Alison, feeling like now is her best time to confess to Emily how strong her feelings have gotten, tries to force the words out, but, before she can, the brunette’s phone buzzes on the counter and the girl leans over to check the notification. The blonde breathes out but puts a smile on her face, realizing that there’s no need to rush because the other girl seems equally as content.

“Mom said they’ll be waiting for a video invite,” Emily says and Alison can tell she’s nervous.

“Okay, let’s go,” she wears a tiny, knowing grin, sliding off the counter and taking Emily’s hand to bring her into the living room.

It takes them ten minutes to get situated, mostly because Emily sits down before realizing that she doesn’t feel like relaxing in jeans so she runs upstairs to change. Alison, on the other hand, opens her laptop since Emily asked her to pull up Skype, waiting for the brunette to rejoin her so they can video chat Mr. and Mrs. Fields. On the inside, however, she wonders whether or not Emily will _want_ her to be nearby at first, so, when the girl runs back down the stairs with a quick “Okay, I’m ready,” Alison turns her body.

“Do you want me to be here when you call them?” she asks quietly. “It’s your choice, Em.”

“Um,” Emily looks at her hands as she sits down next to Alison, “yeah, I think I do.”

“You think you do?”

“I do,” the brunette nods, swallowing hard when her throat feels like it’s tightening up at the words.

When the other girl can sense that Emily is starting to freeze up, she changes the subject in hopes that it’ll make the air feel lighter.

“And you’re _sure_ they know how to use Skype?”

She chuckles, “Yes, Ali, they’ve used it plenty of times.”

“Just making sure.”

Emily moves her finger along the laptop’s trackpad, eventually finding her mother’s Skype contact as it hovers over the option to video chat. Alison watches her struggle, feeling bad that she’s having such a hard time, but knows the other girl doesn’t want to back down from this so, to provide some sort of comfort, she holds her wrist with a gentle grip.

“I’m right here,” Alison whispers while looking at Emily. “It’ll be okay.”

“I just… I don’t want them to say anything that’ll upset you,” Emily looks down. “I’m not saying they will because, honestly, they love you and I know that for a fact, but…”

“They’re going to be protective and I understand that, Em. I know what I’m getting myself into.”

Brown eyes glance in her direction, hearing some sort of underlying, double meaning that makes Emily’s heart flutter. Alison smiles softly and leans in to kiss the girl once more, afterwards sliding her hand down Emily’s wrist and hitting the call button so neither of them can back down. The brunette’s eyes widen when she realizes what happened, slowly being faced by a tiny smirk and blue eyes that stare back at her. She swallows hard and turns back to the screen, mentally preparing herself for the video chat that’s about to━

“There’s my Emmy,” Mr. Fields seems to be smiling before the screen can even focus, his wife sitting squished against him so she can stay in the frame.

“ _And_ Alison,” Mrs. Fields looks at her husband, earning a mumbled yet joking “I have better eyes than you do, dear, I know.”

Emily chuckles at the sass before asking, “How are things?”

“Normal,” her father speaks again. “Boring, if I do say so, myself.”

“Hey, we could’ve gone to the casino yesterday like I had suggested,” Pam faces him with a pointed frown.

The two sitting on the couch look at one another, a slight smirk on Alison’s face because of the casino mention.

“How are things with you girls?” Wayne turns back to the camera and looks smug.

“Um, actually,” Emily takes a deep breath, “that’s why I asked if I could call you.”

“Mhm…” he hums and Mrs. Fields furrows her eyebrows while waiting.

“I, uh…” the brunette shakes her head, “we…”

Alison looks around the room, not wanting to interrupt but feeling bad that she can’t exactly help, at the moment.

“Okay,” Emily tries again, getting out an abrupt “Alison and I aren’t dating.”

Pam seems to lean back in her seat while Wayne partially frowns. Before they can say anything, Emily continues.

“We’re married,” she confesses. “I didn’t want to tell you before because things were… _complicated_ , I guess, and I didn’t think it was the best time.”

Neither of them blink for an extended amount of time. Actually, they only sit there and stare into the camera for roughly ten seconds before Mr. Fields looks at his wife who breathes out, then turns with a head tilt and visible smirk that Emily frowns at. Alison and Emily soon watch the older man walk away from the camera before sitting down in his previous position with a grunt and a handful of twenty dollar bills, giving the folded wad of money to Mrs. Fields who gets out a sharp yet faux-innocent “Thank you.”

“What’s…” is the only word Emily can manage as she sits next to Alison who seems equally as confused.

“On our way to North Carolina, _after_ we stopped by,” Wayne begins to explain with an even voice, “your mother bet me that something deeper was happening in your life because of how nervous you seemed that day. Jumpy, even. Like there was something you didn’t want to share.”

The younger brunette looks at Alison for a split second.

He continues, “I, of course, had faith that you wouldn’t hide anything, so I accepted the challenge.”

“I’m so sorry,” Emily begins. “I didn’t mean to hide anything from you, but I didn’t know how to even _begin_ explaining and… I understand if you’re angry, but I finally realized that you deserve to know.”

She glances at the girl sitting next to her before facing the camera again, “And Alison doesn’t deserve to be kept a secret,” earning a shy smile from the blonde in question while entwining their fingers near the laptop’s base.

Her parents smile at the sentiment before Pam speaks up through a deep breath.

“We’re not angry, sweetheart,” her voice is laced with comfort before flattening her tone so it’s lecturing, “but we definitely have some things to talk about, especially since we’re being told through a screen.”

Emily ducks her head partially, looking away from everyone as Alison does the same.

“I think…” Mrs. Fields now looks at her husband, “we’re a little confused as to why we weren’t told ahead of the wedding, more than anything. _Was_ there a wedding? We didn’t even know you had seen Alison since… years ago.”

“There honestly wasn’t much of a _before_ , and that’s because we really _hadn’t_ seen each other for years,” the brunette exhales deeply with matching wide eyes, shaking her head after. “No one was told anything. That night, everything just…” her voice trails off and Alison turns away, not wanting to hear any hint of regret in the girl’s voice even though she hasn’t detected any, thus far.

Emily starts a new explanation, “We didn’t have time to plan it. It wasn’t exactly a thought, at the beginning of the night, but there was still a connection between us, and…”

She looks at Alison for a second, holding onto her hand tighter before forcing herself to stare back at her parents who knowingly smile at the two.

“I think we both knew it felt right, even though we hadn’t seen each other in forever,” she licks her lips in thought, bowing her head before looking up. “I mean… when you know, you know, right?” she mutters through a nervous grin, feeling the blonde’s thumb rub against her hand.

“That’s right,” her father speaks with a growing, proud smile, giving them a solid nod.

“Emily, we need you to realize that you’re grown up,” Mrs. Fields starts. “You often seem to think that we’re going to be upset with the choices you’re making as if you’re a young, fourteen-year-old again, but, in reality, we couldn’t be any more on-board with the decisions you’ve made. _And_ the life you've made.”

“Mhm,” her husband agrees, “and it’s because you have my good judgement.”

Pam gives him a subtle look that Emily chuckles at.

“We trust your judgement, and you should too. Whatever choices you’ve made in the past, there was obviously a reason for each of them,” she gives more insight. “Be confident that we won’t judge you for that. And I’m not just saying this because of what you told us, but because I can tell how nervous you get when we’re around.”

The brunette swallows hard and looks at the keyboard below the screen.

“Honey, we’re not here to push you in one direction or the other,” Pam shakes her head. “We’re just happy to be a part of your life.”

“If you’re happy, we’re happy, and we’re _proud_ ,” Wayne adds with a deep voice and a smile.

“And we’re also relieved you’re with Alison because we can tell she takes care of you, and vice versa,” Pam grins. “Especially since it was pretty obvious that she was going out of her way to come up with reasons as to why you had fallen off the radar for a while,” she eyes Alison through the webcam, earning sealed, guilty lips from the girl who tries not to smile.

“Taking the fall in front of your in-laws,” Wayne hums with a smirk. “How noble.”

Emily tries to suppress a giggle, only to get elbowed in the side.

“Well, I think congratulations are in order,” the older woman’s eyes water a bit but she blinks quickly. “I suspect there will be a small reception, in the future,” her stare holds another, silent lecture and Emily makes a face.

“Don’t make this a big thing,” she groans.

“Of course I’m going to make this a big thing,” the woman shakes her head. “This _is_ a big thing.”

Alison nudges Emily’s side with a soft, playful, “Yeah, Em.”

“So, Alison,” Wayne clears his throat but smiles big with a devious tint that Emily can detect, not being able to interrupt before he asks, “did you take our last name?”

Emily’s eyes widen but she masks the expression by forcefully looking away from both the camera and the girl sitting next to her, pretending to do something off to the side while Alison’s mouth opens and closes. Finally, when she glances in the brunette’s direction and snorts at the blatant, refusing-to-acknowledge body language, she nods with a solid “Yes, I did. I hope that’s okay” and a bright grin, ultimately making her decision.

When the brunette sitting next to her hears the response, she straightens her back and turns to Alison with narrowed eyes but forces the expression to leave, quickly recovering and looking back at her parents who don’t stop smiling throughout the entire call.

In the end, Emily and Alison remain talking to the older couple for an extended amount of time. They discuss whatever’s happened recently ━ while dancing around details of their “wedding” whenever asked ━ and Emily begins to relax even though the day’s events still swirl in her mind. Over the course of the call, she finds herself glancing at Alison more, absentmindedly smiling as three words pop into her head while nearly falling from her lips randomly.

Admittedly, she knows she’s not going to be able to stop the words from coming out sometime soon and, honestly, she actually doesn’t want to; she loves Alison and wants the blonde to know it, no matter what. Sure, Emily may have to take a few more days to psych herself up to the task of muttering the words “I love you,” but she feels at ease knowing that she’s going to be able to let the words fall from her lips while she’s presenting a beautiful ring to Alison. So, while the thought stirs in her mind, she smiles once more, casually being kissed on the cheek by the blonde who teases her for something while holding a conversation with the two on the other end of the call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Alison's made a last-name decision: Fields.
> 
> Let's address this Skype call, first. I'm thinking that a good portion of ya'll believe that Mrs. Fields would react somewhat differently in this scenario. I'd have to agree. Personally, I picture more ? in addition to ! if Emily actually told her mother that she got married without saying anything, beforehand ━ and possibly Mr. Fields would even be a bit ? in the same situation. For this story, however, I needed to show how their relationship is different. First and foremost, Emily came out to her parents on her own in this story, somewhat drumming up a good amount of trust and a sense of "this is who I am so please love me for my outstanding qualities," whereas the show had Emily being outed, which sucks in many ways, shapes, and forms, but, above all… she was never able to show that she trusts her parents enough to confess, on her own. In Place Your Bet, their relationship is very solid (disregarding Emily's lack of communication) and Pam's words support the notion of them trusting Emily just as much: "Honey, we're not here to push you in one direction or the other. We're just happy to be a part of your life." Frankly, they want Emily to continue to trust them, so they offer support. Nevertheless, they welcomed Emily's wife with open arms.
> 
> How about Emison's first kiss? Sophomore year… good times. I think Emily's questions and unsure-attitude are valid; judging based on young Alison, we all know how she seemed somewhat boy crazy, so I think Alison's first kiss taking place in her second year of high school (with a girl, nonetheless) is somewhat shocking. Either way, for this story, it's true. ━ Also, since we're on the subject of this flashback, I'm not sure who remembers but, in Ch 1, Alison tells Emily, "I know when you're lying," which Emily snaps at. Now we know why she snapped: "You know I can tell when you're lying to me, so be honest." Look out for Ch 1 (and some Ch 2) similarities scattered throughout the upcoming flashbacks; there are reasons as to why Emily was so damn snippy in Ch 1, and they're much deeper than the simple "Alison caught her off-guard" idea.
> 
> What about Sparia + CeCe teasing Alison endlessly? And how about the fact that EMILY BOUGHT A FRIGGIN' RING, GUYS━ But seriously, is anyone else having fun with this whole, karmic situation involving the betting money being used by Emily to provide some funding for Alison's ring? I'm sure having a blast. That's what those meddling kids get.
> 
> One of these gals needs to tell the other that she loves her. Stat. Wanna know why? Because someone (me, it's me, A.K.A. the writer) is about to throw these two for a pretty damaging loop that may or may not blow a hole in this happy-little-rainbow-ride they got goin' on. I'm sure a good chunk of ya'll know I can't resist a good, dramatic chapter ━ or a few. Prepare yourselves for some stormy sailing because, as a hint… the doubts, regrets, and insecurities inside Alison's head (as seen toward the beginning of this chapter) will get louder and something tangible will trigger them. It's unfortunate, but something that's imperative when it comes to developing her character further; there's an actual reason as to why she isn't able to tell Emily that she loves her. Nevertheless, Emison is endgame, and they're in love ━ that's pretty damn evident.
> 
> Next update: Tuesday (oh shit).
> 
> Thanks for dealing with my hyper bum for this author's note. I'll leave you be after this final notification: I don't know how many of you follow my Tumblr, but I've been doing these things called "drabbles." For me, they're shorter than one-shots, so I'm basically taking small, Emison ideas and writing less than 1K words per "drabble." Not sure who'd like to check them out, but they're only on Tumblr instead of on here because they're short, so it's up to you. My Tumblr (like always) is "capn-charlie" and you can find the drabbles using the "Emison Drabbles" link on the top of the page. I've already written a bunch regarding Alison's on-screen pregnancy/the baby, so I'm attempting to stray away from those (as of now), but yeah. There ya go.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back.
> 
> Oddly enough, I don't have much to say here. It's been a quiet weekend for me. What about you?
> 
> Ah, well, say hello to Ch 17.

Alison’s finger glides across her laptop’s trackpad, clicking around on the current window. Her eyes scan the available dates for her family’s old cabin, barely breathing as she notices that the majority of days are available ━ just like they used to be ━ aside from most of next week and a bit into the following. Clearly they haven’t changed anything, she thinks, and a soft grin crosses her mouth because she can almost smell the fresh, mountain air with the faint scent of old, dense forest. It’d be nice to go away for a weekend or so, but something within her hesitates as she looks at the property’s photos. Is it the memory of her mother? Is it solely nerves? 

She breathes out at the thought, rubbing her head. Before she can refocus back on the page, a text message lights up her phone and she smiles when Emily’s name pops up:

_ “I’ll be home around seven. Miss you.” _

Blue eyes look at the laptop’s corner clock to see that it’s already five-thirty and she hasn’t exactly done anything. Before another few seconds pass, she responds with a cute  _ “You better be. I miss you more.” _

Ever since Emily left around two o’clock, she’s been sitting around, doing laundry, or reading. Frankly, she misses the other girl too much, if she’s being honest, and her mind flashes back to when the brunette first attempted to leave hours ago.

_ “Can’t you stay home with me?” Alison pouts, whining slightly as she hugs Emily and buries her face into the girl’s neck. _

_ “Someone’s needy today,” Emily teases but squeezes the blonde tightly, extracting a grunt. _

_ “Yes, I am,” comes the admission. “It’s Friday and you never have to work late on Fridays. Why is today any different?”  _

_ At first, the brunette can’t come up with a solid lie and almost panics since she’s supposed to get the ring today instead of being at work for a while, but, after a second or two longer, she presses a kiss to Alison’s temple and backs up a step. _

_ “I know,” she sighs. “ I told one of the new trainers that I’d help them get organized for the start of the season.” _

_ “You’re too considerate,” Alison shakes her head with a pointed look, earning a laugh from Emily. “It’s a weakness.” _

_ The other girl nods with the same laugh, afterwards leaving a smile on her face while whispering, “I’ll be home before you know it.” _

_ “Promise?” _

_ “Of course,” she kisses Alison’s forehead, allowing her lips to linger. _

They’ve been great, overall, and Alison doesn’t regret her choice to pursue this relationship with Emily. On the other hand, they still haven’t spilled those three, important words yet and both girls are getting more and more anxious by the passing minute. Sometimes, the blonde senses herself wondering if the girl feels that strongly but, when she thinks about it, she can tell that Emily loves her equally as much solely by the looks they share while parted lips threaten to whisper desired phrases. Alison vows to be patient, however, because she, herself, is having a difficult time as well. 

In fact, the blonde internally scolded herself a time or two during the week for  _ not  _ saying “I love you.” One instance, for example, was when they actually sat down and read a comic book together after Emily caught Alison already flipping through a few pages, immediately sitting down next to her and pushing against the girl’s body to see the pictures.

_ “You never told me that you read comic books about villains instead of heroes,” Emily raises an eyebrow with an amused smirk showing across her mouth. _

_ “I read about heroes sometimes,” Alison shrugs. “They’re just not as fun, in my opinion. The villains are more interesting and, honestly, they’re smartasses.” _

_ “That explains a lot,” the brunette says with a flat tone before laughing hard, being repeatedly elbowed in the side by Alison. _

After that, Alison found herself glancing at Emily time and time again, desperately wishing that she could put down the comic book, turn her body, and simply…  _ confess _ . She thought about it, actually, but her body practically froze so she continued to turn the pages for them in hopes that Emily would somehow just understand that she’s having a tough time.

The blonde shuts the laptop when she gets an idea, casually placing it on the coffee table in front of her and biting her lower lip in thought while leaning forward. Eventually, she pushes her body upwards and walks out of the living room so she can enter the main hallway. 

Soon, her hand grasps the study’s doorknob and twists it to push the barrier open, immediately letting her eyes scan the area as she flips the light switch on. The overhead lighting  _ definitely  _ needs to be changed, she muses, noting the yellowish color that flashes against the white, broken walls. Across from her, blue eyes catch sight of the paint-color strips she and Emily had picked out at Home Depot, smiling big because it’s all so surreal at this point ━ and  _ perfect _ .

Boxes line the bottom of the walls, having only organized a little bit during the week since the two had been busy with other things. For the most part (and in simple terms), they’ve been inseparable aside from Wednesday night when Emily visited Toby at his house where she learned that Spencer is moving in sometime during the next, two weeks. Alison was at work, still getting used to her own schedule with ease because, if you ask her, she loves her small, coffee-house job. When the brunette got home, however, Alison was already sitting on the couch, having recently finished a Skype call with Jason who finally found out about his sister’s relationship ━ save the fact that their relationship is actually a solid  _ marriage _ . She wanted to tell him and, at the time, a sigh passed her lips when something stopped her. Either way, as soon as Emily stepped through the door, Alison’s mouth curved into a smile and the brunette threw herself onto the couch with a grunt, resting next to the girl.

_ “Tired?” Alison arches an eyebrow at Emily, tilting her head a fraction. _

_ “Exhausted,” comes the soft correction with a tiny laugh. “I’m not sure why. I just feel drained.” _

_ “Sleepy drained?” _

_ “No,” she makes a face in thought, “just feeling… I don’t know. Stressed, I guess.” _

_ The blonde rubs her lips together, soon fully turning her body so she can climb into Emily’s lap to end up straddling the brunette. The girl furrows her eyebrows at the sudden position, looking at Alison with curious eyes as a blue gaze stares back at her while a small, shy smile shows on her mouth.  _

_ Alison kisses Emily’s forehead, then her nose, then her lips before lingering in the same spot, deepening the kiss for a moment. Her left hand cups Emily’s jaw with a gentle grip, meanwhile feeling the brunette’s hands roam her barely exposed skin underneath her shirt and along her legs. Slowly, Alison’s lips deliberately slide down Emily’s cheek and along her neck as she whispers, “Relax,” against the soft skin. _

_ Emily tilts her head to the side a bit, feeling Alison stay in the same area for minutes on end while creating a pattern of subtle, red marks as she bites, kisses, and sucks on her skin. _

Alison suddenly shakes her head and crouches down next to one of the boxes, fingertips running over the spines to a couple of old books. She notes that most boxes are ripped whereas other books and items fill plastic, storage containers, but this particular, cardboard box is nearly completely ripped so she begins to take the items out in order to store them somewhere else. Basically, all she wants to do is get a start on this organizing and packing so they can have an entirely clean slate before choosing colors and planning the final product. Again, she smiles at the thought and Emily’s overall enthusiasm when it comes to giving her a space to make her own.

As she takes more items out of the box, she finds multiple, older photo albums containing baby pictures of Emily that make her chuckle, more so because she knows the brunette would kill her for looking through them. Initially, she wonders if she should be nice and wait for Emily’s permission to view them but, in the end, she knows that the girl wouldn’t be  _ that  _ angry ━ only embarrassed beyond belief. 

Her fingers gingerly flip the pages, smiling hard at photos of five-year-old Emily on a plastic bike, grinning big at the camera. There’s another with her in Mr. Fields’ arms while Mrs. Fields stands beside them, all looking at the camera for a beautiful family photo. Instead of feeling regretful about her own parents, Alison admires the sight before flipping the page again, eyes landing on a picture of a pre-teen Emily sitting near the pool with sunglasses on, not paying any attention to the camera.

Breathing out, she decides to close the book and move on, finding another, smaller album and turning to the first page to see a few photos of their friend group from Freshman year. She swallows hard at the sight but manages to smile a tiny bit, hastily closing the album before she can get too far into it because she knows it’ll do more harm than good. Her hands push the book away somewhere behind her, ready to move on.

When Alison turns back to the pile, her heart drops within seconds as she picks up their old yearbook from when they had graduated, feeling choked up as the item practically burns her hands because, suddenly, she begins to remember every shitty thing she’s done throughout the course of her life and  _ fuck _ ; quite frankly, whatever happiness she had before is now replaced with heaviness and regret. 

Taking a deep breath, she puts the item behind her and tries to ignore it as much as she can, but, before she has the chance and strength to move on, her curiosity gets the best of her and she slowly opens the yearbook’s blue cover. Instantly, she’s hit with a wave of regret accompanied by high school memories that threaten to induce a massive amount of tears, one drop falling onto the laminated page within seconds. Alison really shouldn’t be looking at the yearbook, and she realizes that, but it’s hard to tear herself away because, for as long as she can remember, she thinks that she deserves to feel this kind of pain.

So, her fingers flip past another page, moving through their peers’ photos and noting the various  _ “I’ll miss you”  _ types of messages. She purposely skips her page and finds the personalized messages from Spencer, Hanna, and Aria, eventually finding out that Mona, as well, had signed Emily’s yearbook. Most of them contain variations of  _ “We’ll always be together”  _ or  _ “We’ll keep in touch, I promise.”  _ Hers, however, is completely absent. Blank. Non-existent.

Alison swallows hard before hesitantly flipping backwards to find her own picture, noting the obvious lack of message next to her photo because, back then, she and Emily attempted to avoid one another as much as possible. More tears fall onto the page and, internally, she hopes they don’t make any marks on the paper because who knows if this book means a lot to Emily even though it was stowed away in a storage box. She notes her old, fake smile and overall “royal” appearance, thoroughly despising herself for it. Looking at it now, she can one-hundred percent tell that the expression is everything less than genuine but, back then, she supposes that it was believable enough since everyone seemed to “love” her. She wonders how people would feel about her now but, then again, Paige probably summed up their feelings and, really, she wouldn’t judge anyone for feeling that way.

She sits on the floor with the book in her lap for an extended amount of time, absentmindedly staring at the floor in front of her crossed legs. She bites her inner cheek while thinking as tears make fresh paths down her skin, breathing as much as she can because her chest is starting to feel as though it’s caving in. Alison wants to write her own note in the book as she thinks about everything, but who’s to say that Emily  _ wants  _ her to jot down a message. After all, maybe this is the one, preserved piece of her past that Alison hasn’t ruined one way or another. Two more tears fall at the thought while she looks down at the page.

Without wasting any more time, Alison partially closes the book and brings it into the guest room, instantly moving over to the nightstand. She grabs the pen not even a second later and lays the book down onto the dresser’s surface with her picture showing. For a minute or so, she thinks about what she wants to write and/or if she wants to write _ at all _ . Who knows if her words are worth it now. Alison shakes her head while taking a deep breath, cautiously putting the  _ “I do”  _ pen to the glossy surface so she can write a note for Emily. Better late than never, she thinks to herself with another tear falling.

She decides to write as if she's back in their graduating year, hoping it brings her some comfort. The words contain messages she wishes she could've said back then ━ or the things she  _ should've _ said. Her bottom lip is clasped between her teeth while writing, attempting to keep the rest of her tears at bay while moving the pen along the page. It doesn't work, however, and she has to wipe her eyes with the back of her other hand.

Her writing hand shakes as she finishes and, ultimately, the letters come out crappy but, once she’s done, a deep breath falls from her lips and she slams the book shut because she’s starting to feel physically sick with a huge headache and a sour sensation in her gut. The gross feeling intensifies when her eyes catch sight of the marriage certificate and small, red box sitting nearby, suddenly realizing that, sure, Emily may seem to want their relationship now but, initially, the brunette was  _ forced  _ into this and it’s all Alison’s fault; roughly, the blonde hasn’t changed at all and, as she hides the yearbook in the top drawer of the guest room’s dresser, her lip quivers and tears stream down her cheeks. She’s no better than she used to be and, now, it’s all hitting her hard as she sits down on the edge of the mattress.

_ “No. You know what? You're stuck with me. You want to piss me off so badly? Fine. You got your wish. Now you get to deal with what comes after.” _

Her eyes slam shut when she remembers her own tone and how she was practically seething in Emily’s face, almost like, for a moment, she took on Holbrook’s abusive persona. At the thought, her lips part and she feels like throwing up even more, flat-out beginning to hate herself as her nails dig into the skin of her arms because she has no idea what to do with herself right now; she’s spent so long attempting to convince herself that she’s changed but, honestly, what if she hasn’t? Maybe Paige was right and she hasn’t grown up worth a damn. Actually, maybe even  _ Holbrook  _ was right:  _ “Nothing is more worthless.”  _ She soon remembers what he said after that and, as she looks at her hands, a partial sob escapes her throat.

_ “I mean, really, you left me for a girl? A girl you pushed around in high school? How low can you get?” _

He’s right: Emily shouldn’t give Alison the time of day. Sure, shit happened when they were younger, but who would be able to forgive those kinds of things? The blonde played ping pong with the girl’s feelings for God only knows how long and, fuck, maybe it hurt both of them but Emily deserves so much better. Honestly, Alison wonders why Emily hasn’t realized it yet. Maybe she will, Alison thinks, and that’s probably for the best. The blonde chokes on a deep breath when she remembers the second kiss they shared toward the end of their sophomore year and, ultimately, what happened a day later.

_ Emily walks into the locker room, body soaked from a last-period, swim class as she plays with her hair while she walks. Absentmindedly, her feet take her further through the wide rows of lockers, all aisles disrupted with benches. The room is empty, primarily because she had to stay later since coach had a few, team-related questions, so her steps echo around the room until she takes one, last turn and comes face to face with Alison who looks equally as stunned by the proximity. _

_ The blonde seems to debate something for a moment, afterwards taking a step back and forcing a sneaky grin onto her face as if she had planned everything all along. _

_ “Did class run late?” she tilts her head to the side with a smile that Emily mirrors, albeit it’s completely shy and a little awkward. _

_ Emily plays it off while maneuvering around Alison and moving over to her locker, “Uh, no, actually. Coach just wanted to see me so we could talk about next year’s, possible schedule and stuff.” _

_ Alison nods with a hum, automatically sliding herself onto the bench only feet away from Emily’s locker. She sits behind the brunette who rummages through the metal storage block, forcing herself to stop checking the girl out because they’ve already been extremely hot and cold lately ━ and most of it is Alison’s own fault. She sighs. _

_ “Hm?” Emily turns for a moment, a frown on her face because she can tell Alison is thinking hard about something. _

_ “Oh, nothing,” the blonde’s voice is quiet, watching the brunette sit next to her as she goes through her bag which rests on the other side of her legs. _

_ Alison smiles at the sight, knowing how much Emily has always loved to swim. Truthfully, Alison never exactly cared for swimming ━ nor did she know how the hell it was considered a sport ━ before Emily made the team ━ and excelled on it. During swim season, Alison goes to every meet she can make, even some of the ones that aren’t at Rosewood High. Sometimes, she even sneaks into the pool area to watch Emily swim longer than her other classmates for their final time-slot of the day. _

_ Emily turns around to see a big grin on Alison’s face, automatically narrowing her eyes with a tiny, curious smile and a faint blush that crawls onto her cheekbones. _

_ “What?” she wonders as she looks into blue eyes. _

_ “Nothing,” comes the tease-laced remark, “I’m just starting to think that swimming is more important to you than I am,” now, her tone is flirtatious and Emily’s smile grows but fades when she realizes how close they are, earning a blushing, nervous expression as Alison waits for a response. _

_ “I wouldn’t go that far,” she finally mumbles and the blonde can’t stop her eyes from flickering downward ━ though Emily misses it. _

_ “Why not?” Alison feels like she’s choking up, mostly because her body tingles like it’s on autopilot and, when Emily looks at her, she feels herself leaning in while the brunette does the same. _

_ The kiss is short and, during the first, three seconds of the embrace, Alison’s hand lands over Emily’s atop the bench and their fingers partly entwine. Emily is the first to put an inch of distance between them, but Alison doesn’t let her go far. Instead, she follows the girl and kisses her for two seconds longer, just another, short peck before their eyes flicker open when a larger amount of distance is placed between their faces. _

_ Immediately, Alison smiles as much as she can, knowing that she can’t keep batting the girl’s feelings back and forth, but ends up whispering, “I, um, forgot something in my locker. I’ll see you later,” and all but running from the locker room. _

_ Emily remains sitting there, hands now in her lap as she plays with her fingers with a frown and a bottom lip that quivers slightly, eyes glued to the floor near her feet. _

The following day wasn’t much better. In fact, Alison had spent so much time pacing her room the night prior that she had tired herself out monumentally, ending up grumpier ━ and bitchier. Emily hadn’t spoken to her since their locker room encounter, causing a visible rift to open up between their friends because no one knew what was going on ━ obviously aside from the two it involved.

_ “Em, are you okay?” Hanna wonders as they sit at a cafeteria table, her spot next to Spencer but opposite to Aria. _

_ Emily and Alison sit across from one another, not making eye contact because the brunette is forcibly looking at the tray in front of her. _

_ “Yeah, you’ve been super quiet all day,” Aria adds with a creased forehead. _

_ Emily pushes around the food on her plate, only glancing up every now and then as she attempts to avoid the underlying accusations. _

_ “Guys, leave her alone,” Alison’s voice is sharp but Emily detects a hidden, protective nature, her eyes finally snapping upwards to meet unreadable blue. _

_ The girl’s focus swirls with sympathy and apology, but the eye contact becomes too much for Emily, so she bows her head again and, in response, Alison shifts her jaw. _

_ “If she wants to pout the day away for whatever reason, let her,” suddenly, the blonde forces her chair away from the table and leaves without a goodbye, three heads turning in her direction with an assortment of frowns while Emily feels like crying, sinking further into her seat. _

She knew she was being a bitch. Actually, she know that she was  _ always  _ a bitch, but something within her stayed the same for years. High school Alison was a mystery, that’s for sure, and her confidence was sharply fierce, but no one knew that, after she stormed out of the cafeteria, she pushed her way into an empty, dark classroom and cried for fifteen minutes. She missed the start of her next class, simply hiding away from the world while wondering when and why everything got so fucked up. It intensified to the point of hyperventilation, just sitting on the floor while being out of the classroom door’s line of sight. All she wanted to do was to crawl into a hole. Her feelings for Emily had been growing day after day, and acting on them was becoming a problem because, shit, she  _ wanted  _ to; all Alison wanted to do was to kiss Emily and make her happy, but she created a gap between them when she forced herself to do the opposite. 

At the thought, Alison clenches her jaw and more tears roll down her cheeks. In retrospect, she knows she’s being irrational but, hell, how is she supposed to think with a clear mind when all she can remember is what happened within a darker part of her life? Alison remembers what she told Emily when they had been sitting on the floor for hours, bowing her head: _ “I think that’s why I’m starting to remember everything. Because I’m not trapped anymore.” _ Fuck, she thinks; she should’ve known that the memories flooding back to her mind wouldn’t be all light and airy. 

When all’s said and done, she’s gotten better at holding herself up, she really has, but she currently feels like everything she knows is a lie and, as she squeezes her own hand, maybe she hadn’t healed as much as she thought. Alison needs forgiveness but ━ due to thinking she doesn’t deserve it ━ isn’t about to ask and sure as hell won’t admit that it’s necessary.

Her thoughts are completely broken up when her phone rings within the confines of her back pocket and, as she sits up a fraction to reach backwards, her red eyes scan Hanna’s name. She wonders if she should pick up because, honestly, she probably sounds like an absolute mess and doesn’t really trust her choked-up voice right now. On the other hand, Alison knows that, if she ignores the call, the other blonde will keep trying to get through to her.

She slides her thumb across the screen to answer the call and clears her throat, afterwards getting out a raspy yet quiet “Hello?”

_ “Hey, blondie,”  _ Hanna’s voice comes through.

_ “You’re just as blonde, if not more, Hanna,”  _ Mona adds and, normally, Alison would laugh but her lips barely part at the attitude.

_ “Whatever,”  _ Hanna speaks again.  _ “What are you up to, Ali? We still miss you at work.” _

“I miss you too,” Alison’s voice is hardly audible and she pulls the phone away from her face in order to sniffle sharply but, when she brings the device back to her ear, Mona’s tone is cautious.

_ “Alison, are you okay…?”  _

“Yeah,” she forces herself to clear her throat and sound as put-together as possible, “I’m just…” a deep breath can be heard, “sitting around, really.”

_ “I see…”  _ the other blonde doesn’t believe it and neither does Mona, so they indirectly push for answers.  _ “How’s Em?” _

“She’s great,” Alison gets out a sad laugh, biting her lower lip while looking at the ceiling. “Perfect, actually.”

_ “Where is she?” _

“Uh,” the blonde shakes her head when she can’t think of the answer, “she’s working late, I guess. She said she’ll be home around seven.”

_ “And you two have been… good?” _

“Yeah,” comes the simple response.

_ “I’m glad. You deserve it,”  _ Mona’s voice sounds concerned and more tears stream down Alison’s cheeks because she really doesn’t think she deserves it.

“I have to go,” Alison says through an oncoming sob. “I’ll call you later.”

She hangs up without listening for their goodbyes, quickly attempting to take multiple, deep breaths in fear that she’ll end up hyperventilating, if she doesn’t. 

Once her body finally relaxes, it feels nonexistent so, for an extended amount of time longer, she sits on the edge of the mattress and stares at the floor while barely blinking. Her thoughts don’t even speak up in the time being, resulting in a menacing silence while she sniffles hard even though the tears are finally holding back with ease. Within her chest, her heart aches as if something is clasped around it and, inside her torso, her ribs feel restricted, but she pays no attention to any sort of pain while focusing on the spot in front of her feet.

Shaking her head after another five minutes, Alison stands up and sluggishly exits the guest room so she can move back into the study. Her hands timidly stack book on book and shove them against the wall, deciding to come back later to finish since, right now, she doesn’t even have a box to fill. The light switch is flicked absentmindedly as she leaves the room, quietly closing the door behind her and walking into the living room like she’s on autopilot the entire time. 

Her red-tinted eyes rarely blink and, before she can look at the time, the front door swings open to reveal Emily who hangs up her keys while not noticing Alison standing only a few steps into the next room.

“Oh, there you are,” the brunette lets out a small laugh, “I didn’t see you, at first.”

“Mhm,” Alison hums as she faces away from the girl, not trusting herself to speak fully until she can get a hold of herself. 

Emily uses the position to her advantage and wraps her arms around the blonde’s torso from behind, leaning her chin against the girl’s shoulder for a moment. Her lips press against Alison’s jaw a second later, smiling warmly. 

“I missed you,” she whispers against Alison’s skin, feeling the girl tilt her chin downwards instead of responding.

When the blonde continues to remain silent, Emily backs up with a creased forehead and frown, stepping around the girl to gain a face to face position but, as she moves, Alison turns her head in the direction of the kitchen even though she stares at the floor like previously.

“Is something wrong, Ali?” she dips her head a fraction so she can look into blue eyes that refuse to stare back at her.

Alison goes to say something but nothing comes out. Instead, she sighs and shakes her head, afterwards forcing a pained smile and getting out a choked-up “I don’t feel well. That’s all.”

“Have you eaten dinner?” 

“No,” her voice is quiet.

Emily gently pulls her into a hug and Alison wants to cry hard but, in reality, her breathing halts and she buries her face into the girl’s neck in hopes that she can simply enjoy the embrace. The brunette rubs her back as she leans away in order to kiss the side of the girl’s head, afterwards hugging her more than before. 

When Emily fully pulls back, she can tell that the other girl’s eyes are glossed over but doesn’t mention it, not wanting to put Alison on the spot right now. So, when another, silent chunk of time passes, she takes Alison’s hand and intertwines their fingers while bringing her into the kitchen at a slow rate.

“Sit,” Emily instructs with a comforting tone. “I’m going to make some soup.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Alison shakes her head and her voice sounds exhausted but, nevertheless, she sits at the table while looking at Emily with tired, blue eyes.

“Ali, I haven’t eaten, either,” a tiny smile tugs at the brunette’s lips. “No matter what, I have to make  _ something _ .”

Alison matches the smile as much as she can and, at first, manages a small, hopeful expression, but Emily turns around and suddenly it’s gone. She pulls out her phone and places it onto the table, her eyes staring at the surface for minutes as the brunette prepares two bowls of soup with a side of crackers. While the soup boils, however, Emily brings a couple of waters to the table and places one in front of Alison with a caring “Please drink something.” 

The blonde, in response, raises her eyes to look at Emily and nods slowly, cautiously sipping the drink and rubbing her lips together afterwards. She still feels sick, but definitely not as much as before so, as time passes, more of the liquid slides down her sore throat and cools her insides while she hopes that things will get better throughout the night.

“Aren’t you gonna get that?” Emily interrupts her thoughts with a concerned voice, referencing the blonde’s text tone that’s gone off twice in one minute.

“Oh, sorry,” Alison goes to remove her phone from the table’s surface but drops the device on its screen, immediately grimacing at the sound as the other girl frowns from where she’s standing.

The blonde notices that the messages are only from Hanna and Mona, asking,  _ “Are you okay?”  _ and saying,  _ “Let us know if you need anything.” _

“Ali, are you sure nothing’s wrong?” she asks quietly, feeling nervous.

“I told you I don’t feel well,” Alison snaps, instantly regretting it as her eyes look up to meet Emily’s.

The brunette straightens her back and stares at the girl who breathes out with regret, shaking her head slowly.

“I’m sorry,” she feels her eyes watering again because of- _ fucking _ -course she’s about to resort back to her old ways simply because Emily  _ cares _ .

Emily walks over to her and crouches down so she can look into Alison’s eyes, simultaneously taking the girl’s hands and holding them between her own. The blonde wants to turn away because of the intimacy, still feeling like she doesn’t deserve anything of the sort, but can’t manage to evade the sympathetic look and, instead, glances down at their hands with a deep breath.

“I won’t ask again after this, but are you sure I didn’t do anything?” Emily searches her eyes for any type of lie or hesitation but finds none.

“You didn’t do anything, I promise,” Alison swallows hard, wanting to explain what’s going on in her mind but not having the courage to do so.

“Okay,” she whispers, ending with multiple kisses to the blonde’s hands before standing up.

Emily goes to walk away but, after a single step, turns back and cups Alison’s jaw, gently stroking her cheeks and leaning down to peck the girl on the lips time and time again. Alison allows herself to revel in the feeling although something cold and twisted swirls in her stomach, almost like her heart knows she deserves to be happy but her mind is telling her body to prevent the emotion. 

When the brunette goes to back up, Alison pulls her forward again by the hem of her shirt, instantly reconnecting their lips with a rough desperation that surprises Emily, at first. She grants the blonde the harsh, slight make out session, however, mostly because she knows the girl isn’t feeling well and maybe this is how she ignores the sensation.

Alison abruptly lets go of Emily’s shirt and leans back, offering a sharp, millisecond-lasting smile that the tanned girl hardly catches because it’s gone in the blink of an eye. The brunette doesn’t get to question it, in the end, before she hears the soup boiling somewhere behind them and walks over to the stove while Alison’s fists clench because she  _ refuses  _ to use Emily for physical comfort. 

A steaming bowl of soup is placed in front of her, three minutes later. She stares at the chicken noodle soup and plate of crackers between them, eyes rarely blinking while she gets lost in her thoughts. Emily watches her the entire time, feeling bad because Alison seems completely out of it. Really, she wishes there’s something she could do aside from a kiss, hug, and soup, but she isn’t sure what Alison needs because the girl isn’t talking all that much.

“Do you want an ice cube to help cool your soup?” Emily attempts to joke and successfully draws a small laugh from Alison.

“No, it’s okay,” she shakes her head before her mouth regains its former, flat shape.

“My mom used to put ice cubes in everything I ate. Just in case,” the brunette smiles at the memory, hoping to distract Alison as much as she can.

“Like what?”

“Soup, for starters. Hot mashed potatoes, occasionally rice,” Emily lists as she squints one eye. “Anything that could potentially ‘harm’ me,” she rolls her eyes.

Alison manages a smile, afterwards taking a spoonful of soup and eating it with ease while Emily does the same. Following two more bites, the blonde leans back and sighs slightly, smiling a fraction while glancing in the other girl’s direction.

“I found your baby album,” she mutters with a tiny, shy grin, earning an immediate groan from Emily who nearly chokes on the spoonful of soup she was attempting to eat.

“No,” the brunette’s eyes widen and she stares at Alison who nods with the same, soft smile.

“Mhm,” she hums. “God, you were such a cute kid.”

“Well,  _ yeah _ ,” Emily teases and Alison rolls her eyes, “but…” she emphatically groans.

“I’m sorry,” Alison’s expression fades. “I’ll ask, next time.”

Now, the other girl  _ really  _ feels like she did something wrong, but she told Alison she wouldn’t ask again. Instead, she stares at the blonde with parted lips and furrowed eyebrows as blue eyes bore into the bowl in soup that rests beneath her focus. She cautiously eats the remaining noodles and small pieces of chicken, afterwards finishing her water and leaning back. Meanwhile, Emily does the same while occasionally glancing in Alison’s direction, watching the blonde stare at her hands that rest in her lap semi-beneath the table.

“What else did you do today? You know, besides find my baby pictures,” Emily makes a face, trying to get back to their lighter banter.

Alison shrugs one shoulder, “Nothing, really.”

The brunette only stares at her, the guilt swirling in her stomach becoming sickening because the girl across from her looks completely empty ━ and a bit pale, on the surface. Before she can say something, however, Alison’s voice treads quietly, the tiniest smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

“I found my family’s cabin online,” she confesses and Emily listens attentively. “It still looks the same.”

“Any available dates?”

“Tons,” the smile is sad.

“You’ll have to show me,” it holds an underlying question, not wanting to pry her way into the blonde’s most favorite places and safe-spots, but her eyes sparkle and Alison can see from where she sits, smiling even though her throat feels like it’s tightening up because there’s just so much love within the statement ━ and it’s undeserving.

“I’d love to,” Alison whispers, tears welling up in her eyes even though she had already blinked some away. 

Emily hears the response and smiles without looking up from her bowl, thinking about the ring that currently hides in her car’s glove compartment, stashed away in a black box. It’s beautifully crafted, if she’s being honest, and she nearly got misty-eyed while picking up the piece of jewelry earlier today because, fuck, she wants to be with Alison for the rest of her life and hopes that the item speaks more than what she can get out through words. Although it’s not fully custom-made since she wanted it as soon as possible, she knows it’s special, more so because the small shop isn’t making another, identical ring and that makes her feel good. Alison deserves it, she thinks ━ actually, she deserves that and more: a happy marriage, a happy life, happiness as a whole, and constant _ I love you _ ’s. 

Meanwhile, the blonde stares at the table and thinks the opposite, hating the feeling in her throat, chest, and stomach while the sadness seems to be spreading even though the girl across from her has been trying to keep the mood light. Really, Alison just wants to cling to Emily for the rest of the night and never let go but, as she continues to think, she knows that it’s not realistic and maybe it’s time to take a few steps back; perhaps this is her way of realizing that she wasn’t designed for ultimate happiness with the girl of her dreams.

Emily pushes her chair backwards, and gathers the two bowls and empty plate, having finished the crackers while watching Alison’s eyes burn a hole through the table’s center. She puts the dishes in the sink and briefly runs water over them, afterwards moving back to the table and picking up the two, empty glasses. As she places them in the same area, she hears Alison’s chair scrape against the floor. The water is shut off a moment later and Emily wipes her hands, slowly turning around when she hears her name being called by a very soft and vulnerable voice.

“Hm?” she tilts her head and approaches Alison who stands there, nervously wringing her hands. 

“Can we… cuddle?” blue eyes can barely look at Emily who seems stunned by the extreme timidity regarding the question ━ especially considering that they’ve cuddled for hours before sleeping every night for the past however-many days. 

“Of course, baby,” Emily lets the term of endearment fall from her lips without thinking twice, getting a tiny grin from Alison. “Upstairs?” 

The girl nods, barely being noticed but Emily sees the movement enough to reach for Alison’s hand and intertwine their fingers with a comforting “Come on.”

She hits the light switch on her way out of the kitchen, bringing the blonde through the hallway at a slow pace because she can tell that Alison’s movements are sluggish, at the moment. Alison keeps up with Emily and follows with her head down, occasionally glancing up to see brown eyes staring back at her and, in those moments, she forces a smile that obviously says she’s not okay even though she’s vowed that nothing is wrong aside from feeling sick ━ not that it’s  _ entirely  _ a lie. 

Once they hit the halfway point of the stairs, Alison thinks about the yearbook and the feeling she got when she first touched the item. She supposes that she tarnished her own memories.

_ “Hey, Ali, did you sign everyone’s yearbook?” Hanna walks up beside the second blonde with Mona on the opposite side. _

_ “Everyone who’s relevant,” Alison absentmindedly speaks while typing a message on her phone. _

_ “Even Emily’s?” again, Hanna speaks with a tinge of caution, stopping Alison’s typing frenzy immediately as said blonde’s lips part. _

_ “No,” she sighs. “No, I’m not…” no more words come out. _

_ “Don’t you think you’ll regret it, if you don’t?” Mona interjects. _

_ “Why would I?” Alison goes on the defensive within seconds. “There’s a ninety-nine percent chance that I’m never going to see her again and, if I do, I’m sure we won’t be discussing yearbook pictures.” _

_ Mona and Hanna share a look as they stand in front of Alison. _

_ “Besides,” she continues, “she didn’t bother asking me, so obviously she doesn’t care, either.” _

Lips press against hers and she breaks out of her harsh memories. Stunned by the sudden gesture, her eyes water hard but she kisses back with a timid nature, gently grasping at Emily’s arms as they stand near the bed. The brunette backs up slowly and shows a sheepish smile, earning a parted-lip expression from the girl who struggles with delving into either the sweet reality or her terrible thoughts.

“Get comfy, okay?” Emily whispers. “I’m going to get dressed.”

“Okay,” the answer is practically mouthed since the word doesn’t come out.

After five seconds, Alison turns around and peels the comforter back, looking down at her outfit to make sure she’ll be comfortable because, at this point, she’s desperate for anything to help her feel better. Alison’s body is covered in soft shorts and a t-shirt like usual, ultimately getting an internal O.K. before she crawls onto the mattress and tucks her legs underneath the blankets.

Emily, at the foot of the bed, unbuttons and unzips her jeans before sliding them down her legs with ease. Alison side-eyes the brunette but forces herself to look away, harshly sealing her eyes and clenching her jaw while Emily pulls her shirt over her head and, within the next minute, gets dressed in a similar outfit to the other girl’s. Walking over to the window, she closes the blinds, followed by her eyes catching sight of the time, causing a sigh to fall from her lips because it’s only 8:35 P.M.; she genuinely feels sorry for Alison since the girl doesn’t feel well but, on the inside, knows something deeper is wrong but refuses to push the blonde into venting. If she wants to talk, she will.

Emily slides into bed slowly, getting situated next to Alison who stares at the ceiling while the room is engulfed in darkness aside from the prominent moonlight. Once the brunette stops moving, she turns to the other girl with a small, sad grin. Before she can whisper anything, Alison shifts her entire body and clings to her with desperation. Emily, in response, gets out a breathy, sympathetic laugh and untucks her arm so she can wrap it around the girl’s body, immediately feeling the blonde push closer while grasping onto her shirt for dear life. The brunette, upon sensing Alison’s underlying panic, kisses her head and lets her lips linger, afterwards having her face snatched by the blonde who connects their lips in a hollow kiss that catches Emily off-guard. 

When Alison backs up, she sees the other girl’s furrowed eyebrows and automatically lays her head onto Emily’s chest in hopes that she doesn’t ask any questions.

“Alison?” the girl’s voice partially breaks through the whisper and the blonde’s eyes slam shut while she tilts her head into Emily’s shirt as tears spill over.

When Emily doesn’t earn an answer, she gets out another, choked-up “Ali?” and that’s when the blonde shakes her head while forcefully burying her face into the brunette’s shirt.

“Emily, please, just…” her voice comes out as a complete sob and the other girl’s mouth opens at the broken sound, but, in response, she holds her tighter to the point of Alison lying on top of her while wrapped in a hug.

“Okay,” Emily kisses her head multiple times before resting her cheek in the same spot, “you’re okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've officially hit a bump ━ and a big bump, at that.
> 
> Nevertheless, it's an important snag in the story, primarily because we just peeled back Alison's layers to find sheer vulnerability. Poor thing. It looks like she's got some deep-rooted self-disdain. That damn yearbook, or, in the words of Tom Marvolo Riddle in the second HP movie: "Funny, the damage a silly little book can do, especially in the hands of a silly little girl."
> 
> Perhaps you're wondering why this object brought back so many, vicious memories. Welp, basically, it's something tangible with a deep meaning. Alison felt as though she just touched part of her past, and it made her cringe. In a way, during high school, her feelings for Emily somewhat shoved her into becoming a bigger bitch than she was previously, so much that they stopped talking; Alison forced herself into being erased from Emily's life. Now that she's back in her life, however, she's opening a wound and that's going to have to be fixed, working from the inside. She's going to have to allow herself to be vulnerable because, at the moment, she's still trying to fight it. Once Alison lets her walls down, we'll be able to move on. Or maybe she won't let her walls down; perhaps Emily will have to force her way inside. Either way, it won't be easy, but it can and will be done.
> 
> What about their second kiss? Their first was at the beginning of Sophomore year, while their second was toward the end. This leaves a big gap between those moments, but it's vastly filled with flirting and confusion. The second kiss is what really sent Alison over the edge, though, and more to the story will be filled in once we read Ch 18 ━ and also Ch 20. ━ Now that we know their second kiss was within a locker room, we can look back at Ch 1 (again) and realize why Emily felt irritated when Alison asked if she's still swimming.
> 
> Small note: Emily is so in love. What a huge change since Ch 1. It's nice to see, isn't it? This attitude completely opposes the petty "grudge" she held against Alison within the first half of this story. We went from "It's her fault my life turned to hell" to "She deserves the world" and I think that's beautiful. Unfortunately, their attitudes somewhat flip-flopped and now Alison is the one believing that it's her fault Emily's life went to hell whereas she used to believe she had changed.
> 
> Despite this chapter's sadness, the ring is now in Emily's possession and ready to be used. We'll have to see what happens in Ch 18…
> 
> Next update: Saturday.
> 
> Thanks for joining me once again. I hope ya'll have a great PLL day/PLL hangover/rest of the week.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my friends.
> 
> Before we get started, I want to ask for some good vibes again because a longtime, furry member of my dad's side of the family (a nineteen-year-old cat named Muffin) passed away today. Some virtual hugs would be much appreciated, thanks. Also, if you find any revision mistakes within this chapter or the next, bear with me. I revise these on my own (unless I call in some favors), so, on days like today, it's difficult to keep focused and catch everything.
> 
> Some better news: Guess who's completely done with the semester! Me, it's me. Said goodbye to sitting at my computer desk while writing forum posts every week before saying hello to sitting at my computer desk while writing about Emison every day.
> 
> I present to you… two more flashbacks and Ch 18.

Her slumber is disrupted by the stinging sunlight that seeps through the curtains she faces while lying on her side. A disgruntled groan escapes the brunette’s throat as she brings her hand up to cover her eyes. It doesn’t shield the sunlight entirely, however, and she buries her face into the pillow her head rests on, pausing for a moment when something feels… off.

Carefully, Emily rolls onto her back and glances at Alison’s side of the bed, looking at a completely made comforter that’s tucked underneath the pillows. The brunette sits up quickly and feels wide awake, thinking about the night before and how Alison’s body shook as she cried for at least thirty minutes, eventually shutting down as the girl fell asleep. Emily waited for a while after the blonde dozed off, constantly wondering what the hell happened that made Alison so panicky and broken. At the time, she thought back to see if there was anything she had done to upset the girl but, in the end, came up with nothing; it’s like… she left the house and Alison was fine, but, when she came home, something was all too wrong and it  _ hurt _ .

She rubs at her eyes before throwing her hands onto the mattress in front of her. The thoughts rattling in her mind intensify second by second, wondering if Alison is simply downstairs while rummaging through the kitchen or sitting on the couch while absentmindedly watching TV like normal. When Emily turns her head and glances at the door, however, her eyes are distracted by a folded piece of paper on the bedside table, tucked underneath a pen. She furrows her eyebrows at the sight while her heart sinks further into her chest, feeling as though the air from her lungs has been sucked out all at once.

Cautiously, she crawls along Alison’s side of the bed before draping her legs over the edge of the mattress. Shaking hands reach for the pen, reading the intricate  _ “I do”  _ on the side and realizing that the writing utensil must have been pretty damn important to Alison if she had taken it from Vegas. Really, Emily had seen the pen before but not the inscription and now it stuns her to know that the girl was drawn to the item ━ especially since, in Vegas, they weren’t on the best of terms.

Her eyes close and she braces herself for whatever’s written on the paper, noticing a lot of writing. Honestly, she already knows that it’s going to feel like a punch in the gut, mostly because of the way it was left on the bedside table with a lone pen as the bed’s made, almost like the girl isn’t coming back and, fuck, Emily just wants to start crying as she clenches her fist in her lap. She looks to the ceiling and takes a deep breath, wasting no more time as she snatches the lengthy note and opens it to read the contents. When she sees tear stains and cross-outs scattered across the note, some pools disrupting the black ink, her eyes water and she bites her lower lip hard. Clearly, she was right: the note is  _ nothing  _ good.

_ “Emily, _

_ I hope you slept well and I don’t want you to wonder where I am. Maybe it’s inevitable because I’ll honestly be thinking about you, but I don’t want you to stress over it even though you’re probably already frowning as you read this. _

_ I’ve been thinking. You’ve made me feel so, so much recently and it’s hard for me. Not because I don’t want to feel, but because I regret not being able to let myself feel in the past. I originally forced you to stay in this marriage out of spite no matter how I felt deep down, and, because of that, maybe I’m really not worthy of everything you have to offer. I'm the same person as when we were younger, no matter how much I let myself believe otherwise. I’d give anything to change the past, but that’s not realistic.  _

_ I know you may be thinking this is my way of getting what I want and leaving, but it’s the complete opposite. I don’t want to leave at all and that bothers me because I don’t deserve to stay with someone so kind-hearted and passionate. I never want to leave your side and it hurts me so fucking much to do this. I know you’ll say I shouldn’t go, but…  _

_ I don’t know how you feel for sure, but I don’t regret the decision to marry you ━ no matter how plastered we were that night. I couldn’t have chosen a better person to get drunkenly married to. What I do regret is what I said/did afterwards and how I treated you. How we treated each other… I’m so, so sorry, especially because I’m not there right now after everything we’ve gone through… I’m sorry. _

_ One last thing that I want you to know: I love you. I genuinely love you. I wish I could say those words in person and believe me, I’d never take them back. Now that I’ve written them, I will never take them back. I promise. _

_ Please take care.  _

_ P.S. I left some breakfast downstairs for whenever you wake up.  _

_ ━ Alison” _

By the time she’s finished reading, her eyes are a mess and the bottom edge of the paper is completely covered in fresh tears. She clenches her jaw severely, feeling an overwhelming amount of different emotions. For the most part, her heart breaks at the tone of the message but, at the same time, there’s a tinge of betrayal within the brunette’s bones. After everything, she thinks, why the fuck would Alison just… leave? Why not  _ talk  _ about things?

Emily shakes her head and chokes on a sob, ultimately tossing the paper somewhere nearby even though it doesn’t go far, somewhat floating down to the ground and ending up halfway underneath the bed-frame. The brunette attempts to breathe but can’t at first, running her hands through her hair. She blames herself, if she’s being honest; in her mind, she believes that, if she had said the words “I love you” days ago, they could’ve avoided this entire thing. Maybe the blonde felt like her heart wasn’t completely into whatever-the-fuck they were ━ no, Emily notes, whatever they  _ are _ ; just because Alison left, doesn’t mean she’s giving up.

Frantically, Emily crawls over to her side of the bed and finds her phone. Her eyes glance at the time (9:53 A.M.) as she finds Alison’s contact info and clicks her name, allowing the phone to ring as she holds it up to her ear. The brunette feels her heart attempting to beat through her chest and wonders if it actually will while she waits for the other girl to answer but, after five rings, Emily hangs up with a huff. Without putting the device away, she hits the girl’s number again and it dials.

With every, passing ring, she begins to cry harder as her throat tightens up. Fresh tears stream down her cheeks as she waits, breathing as much as possible while the fifth ring passes again. She doesn’t hang up this time, however, and allows the phone to ring until the seventh tone is abruptly cut off. Still, Emily doesn’t hit the red phone and, instead, waits for the voicemail recording to pass but, once it does, her mouth opens with nothing coming out. Finally hitting the button to end the call, Emily bows her head and takes a deep breath, tensing up because, God, she can’t believe this is happening. Today, of all days; the day on which she’s planning to be cliché and get down on one knee so she can ask Alison to be hers forever ━ for real.

She goes into her messages and shakily types out a text to Alison:

_ “At least tell me you’re safe.” _

Her eyes watch the text leave but, when it doesn’t even say that it’s been delivered, her heart falls even further and, suddenly, she can’t blink. Overall, the girl feels numb as she sits on the edge of the bed, not knowing what to do with herself. Even if she  _ wanted  _ to attempt to go back to her “normal” life, where the hell would she begin? It’s such a foreign concept now and, to be frank, the idea of going back to how things were before simply…  _ disgusts  _ her.

When her stomach makes a noise, she rolls her eyes and pushes herself off the mattress, gently slapping her face to wipe the stray tears. As she walks out of the room with an unbalanced, broken nature, her eyes land on the pool table and she instantly feels sick. Emily forces herself to look away as she continues down the stairs, growing more and more nervous when she wonders where the other girl is and if she really  _ is  _ safe. She doesn’t even know how Alison left, especially because she peeks out one of the front windows and sees that her car’s still sitting in the driveway ━ along with the ring that’s stored in the glove box. 

God, she thinks, something was clearly wrong last night. She should’ve pushed further for an answer, even at the risk of being snapped at. Alison was nearly bawling into her shirt but, of course, Emily attempted to respect boundaries and simply held her with strong arms while kissing her head occasionally. What kind of comfort does  _ that  _ provide? Not much, likely.

Another, lone tear falls from her eye as she turns away from the window, moving across the living room and, soon, into the kitchen. A paper bag adorned with The Boston Cafe’s logo sits on the island’s surface, resting next to an iced coffee within a plastic cup. As she approaches even further, she notices their yearbook lying behind the bag and next to the drink, furrowing her eyebrows and frowning in confusion at the sight. Nevertheless, she rounds the kitchen island until she’s staring at the cover of the yearbook with a sticky note tucked into a specific page.

Before Emily opens the book, her brown eyes glance at the plastic cup and find a note on it, clearly written in Alison’s handwriting. The simple sight makes her throat tighten again, feeling like a brick is constantly on her chest as her lower lip quivers. She shakes her head when she begins to cry more, leaning down to see what’s written:  _ “Things I would’ve said.” _

Next to the small message is an arrow pointing down at the yearbook and, suddenly, Emily is more curious yet far beyond upset and exhausted. Her fingers peel open the book and find the sticky note inserted, spotting Alison’s picture and a newly written message signed next to the blonde’s photo. Her lips part while reading, starting to somewhat realize that the yearbook likely took part in whatever tore Alison up so roughly the previous day.

_ “My Emily, _

_ Things with us are complicated. Maybe that’s not even an accurate word to describe what our relationship is like. For most complex things, there’s a deep-rooted backstory and that definitely goes for whatever we are. _

_ I want you to know that I do like you. I like how you make me feel normal yet beyond special. I like how I mean something to you and also how you mean the same to me. If I could do these past few years over, I would. But, for now, I hope to see you again someday. Stay you. _

_ ━ Your Alison” _

She shifts her jaw at the fact that the girl is basically talking from a high school point of view; it clearly means something, she thinks to herself. When her head begins to hurt, she rubs her temple and pulls a croissant out of the paper bag, ripping pieces off and trying to enjoy the bakery item as much as possible. With each bite, her throat feels sore and, eventually, she finishes the croissant without picking apart the next because, honestly, she’s lost her appetite. She looks at the drink, however, and cautiously takes a sip, feeling the corners of her lips twitch into a tiny smile when remembering the times Alison had made the most perfect drinks for her. At the time, she was amazed by the girl’s intuition ━ and, technically, she still is ━ but it hits a sore spot right now and she licks her lips while putting the beverage back onto the counter.

As she leans her elbows on the countertop, she stares at the blonde’s picture and message, feeling overwhelmed by everything. Occasionally, she sips on the iced coffee and slams her eyes shut when they begin to sting. This isn’t like Alison, she notes; ever since they’ve been living together, the girl’s done nothing but improve in ways that Emily didn’t know existed. She’s become a more caring person, a softer person, and, hell, a flat-out genuinely loveable person whom Emily couldn’t be any prouder of ━ or in love with. She should’ve told Alison, she really should have.

A thought attacks Emily’s mind and she wonders if the other girls have heard from Alison sometime today. Actually, she overall thinks about when the blonde had left because she sure as hell didn’t feel the girl get out of bed this morning and she internally scolds herself for it. If she had woken up, maybe this could have been avoided; this entire clusterfuck wouldn’t exist if she had done so many things differently.

The brunette carefully pulls out her phone and looks to see if Alison messaged back but, of course, no luck. While pursing her lips, Emily’s finger hovers above Alison’s contact name because she wants to call again but she knows that it isn’t exactly fair to pester the girl if she  _ really  _ doesn’t want to talk. So, when her conscience gets the best of her, she settles on hitting Hanna’s name instead as the phone dials.

Her hand holds the device to her ear as a frown covers her mouth, soon hearing Hanna’s voice flow through the speaker.

_ “Hello?” _

“Hi,” Emily settles on saying, her voice raspy and quiet. 

The blonde waits a few seconds before asking,  _ “What’s up?”  _ in a soft yet guilty tone.

“Have you, um,” she clears her throat, “heard anything from Ali?”

Hanna sighs and hesitates, afterwards regretfully whispering,  _ “She sent Mona and I a group message a bit ago saying that she’s going somewhere to think about things and breathe for a little while. After that, she sent another saying she’ll message us in a day or so but, otherwise, her phone’s going to be on silent.” _

Emily doesn’t respond. She can’t find the strength to.

_ “Em,” _ the blonde tries when she doesn’t get a reply,  _ “did something happen? We called her yesterday and she sounded so choked up, but…” _

“Yeah, I think something happened but I honestly don’t know what,” the brunette bites her lower lip when it begins to quiver like minutes ago, but can’t stop the sob that comes when she speaks again. “I woke up with no one next to me and a tear-stained note saying that she can’t stay. After _ everything _ … I don’t fucking understand, Hanna.”

No answer.

“Then, at the bottom, she writes, ‘I love you,’ like it’s supposed to cushion the blow,” she gets out through clenched teeth. “And I come downstairs to find that she wrote another note in our damn yearbook.”

_ “Why’d she do that?”  _ Hanna’s voice is careful.

Emily exhales, “I think she regrets… a lot. Just… how she wrote everything…” her voice trails off repeatedly. “It’s like she was forcing herself to relive what happened back then because she thinks she deserves it.”

The line is silent again, causing the brunette to continue.

“God, I knew something was wrong last night,” she rubs her right eye. “I came home and asked if something was wrong but she told me she didn’t feel well and that’s all. Something felt way too off, though,” Emily swallows hard and shakes her head. 

“When we went upstairs…” her voice fades out, “it’s like she was someone entirely broken. Someone lost. Someone who’s trying to claw their way into a known,  _ safe  _ place.”

Her eyes partly widen at the two, final words she muttered:  _ “safe place.”  _ Suddenly, her mind is going a mile per minute as she pieces things together, noting how Alison repeatedly confessed that she needs to think and breathe while seeming as though she’s longing to feel safe and comfortable with who she is.

Without listening to whatever Hanna is responding, Emily quickly runs over to the emergency contact list on the fridge and finds Jason’s number, immediately ending the call with the blonde and sending a text with frantic fingers:

_ “Hey, Jason. It’s Emily Fields. I need a favor.” _

She bites her lower lip as she stares at the screen, being disrupted by Hanna calling back. Emily grunts in response and hits the red phone, ultimately declining the call and going back to iMessage to see that Jason is typing.

**J ━** “Sure. What do you need?”

**E ━** “Do you happen to have your family’s old N.C. cabin’s address anywhere?” 

**J ━** “I’m sure we do. I’ll look for it right now but it might take a little to go through some drawers. Otherwise, I’ll go online.”

**E ━** “Just let me know. Thank you so much.”

Before she can run out of the kitchen in order to find some clothes prior to showering, her phone begins to ring again with Hanna’s name popping up. Going wide-eyed, Emily answers the call and, instantly, the blonde is scolding her with a firm tone.

_ “Emily Fields, don’t you dare hang up on me again,” _ she starts.  _ “I know you’re hurting and I know Alison is━” _

“Hanna, I have to shower,” Emily sounds frantic. “I’ll call you back to tell you everything once I’m out.”

She vaguely makes out a confused  _ “Okay…” _ before ending the call as she runs up the stairs, set on finding something nice yet comfortable to wear for the day ahead.

The girl is hitting the landing in no time, swiftly turning the corner and rummaging through her drawers immediately. She picks out a random pair of underwear, a new bra, a grey t-shirt, and a pair of jeans accompanied by a plaid shirt formerly tossed onto the bench tucked underneath the window. Her thumb wakens her phone screen once more, briefly checking to make sure Jason hasn’t messaged back already and, once she sees no recent texts, she all but runs across the hall and into the bathroom.

Steam consumes the small space once Emily turns the knob of the shower, afterwards getting in and nearly hissing at the ungodly hot water that hits her skin. She runs her hands through her hair while getting ready to actually clean herself, thoughts biting at her mind more with every, passing minute.

Really, the entire idea that Alison skipped town and flew to North Carolina within hours  _ could  _ be a stretch but, considering the girl’s repetitive usage of the words “think” and “breathe” (as per Hanna), Emily has a terribly strong feeling about the concept ━ especially when she remembers that the blonde had been looking at the vacation spot online, the previous day. It’s not like the blonde doesn’t have the correct amount of money at her disposal. In fact, if Alison wanted to, she could likely  _ buy  _ the property if it’s as run-down as she’d described. Sure, it’s an outrageous, abrupt trip to outsiders but Emily can understand to a certain extent, remembering how the girl had spoken so fondly of the place when they sat on the floor for hours in the middle of the night.

It’s only been a few hours and Emily already misses Alison extremely. If you were to ask her, she’d tell you that she feels… hollow, almost like a part of her left with the blonde when she walked away ━ and maybe a huge chunk of her really  _ did  _ disappear. She closes her eyes at the thought, solely wanting to  _ talk  _ to Alison, even if it’s through screaming and tears. No, scratch that; she’s not  _ angry  _ with Alison, per se, but what the hell is happening? They’re supposed to communicate. They’re supposed to trust and lean on one another. Fuck, they’re supposed to stay in each other’s lives.

The brunette lets out a shaky breath at the thought, flashing back to a time when she and Alison had been “camping” in the DiLaurentis’ backyard sometime around the end of sophomore year. It was nearing 2:30 A.M. at the time while the two laid beneath the stars, resting upon a soft, light blue blanket that Alison had dragged outside with a bundle of snacks and a couple of hijacked Smirnoff bottles. Emily remembers the outdoorsy scent like it was just yesterday, mixed in with the aroma from the raspberry drinks consumed thirty minutes prior to laying down. Alison, herself, smelt like vanilla and strawberries, having recently taken a big liking to a new ChapStick that Emily, similarly, enjoyed ━ not that they had kissed since their second, random, elongated peck that ended in the blonde making an excuse to run away, only three days before.

_ “Can you promise me something?” Alison randomly turns to Emily as they lie there, having been mostly silent for minutes beforehand.  _

_ “Anything,” the brunette gets out even though those infamous, blue eyes slow down her breathing as their faces are only inches away. _

_ “Promise me that, no matter what, we’ll always be in each other’s lives,” she whispers and rubs her lips together in thought, voice lowering once she speaks again. “I don’t care if you hate me. Just… say we’ll keep finding our way back to one another. No matter what.” _

_ “I could never hate you, Ali,” comes the soft, comforting reply even though Emily has been pulled back and forth for months now.  _

_ “Promise me, please,” she sounds like she’s begging, expression looking desperate as the girl’s focus wavers but manages to hold solid eye contact.  _

_ “I promise.” _

_ “Do you mean it?” now, Alison’s voice sounds shy and vulnerable. _

_ At first, Emily’s forehead creases in confusion because this entire conversation came out of nowhere, but she tilts her head to the side and searches the other girl’s face for any sign of teasing, ultimately finding absolutely none. In fact, she swears she faintly sees Alison’s eyes shimmering as if the girl feels like crying but, as soon as it came, the tears are gone. In the end, Emily nods and whispers again. _

_ “Always.” _

Emily takes a deep breath while standing in the shower, remembering how she watched Alison’s soft gaze struggle to hold eye contact because, after five more seconds, the distance slimmed down between them. The brunette wanted to kiss her at the time, she really did, and maybe she would’ve craned her neck upwards if she had a few more seconds (and confidence) but, before she could think about making any, bold moves, Alison’s mouth opened as if she wanted to say something before she backed up. They were lying shoulder to shoulder against the blanket moments later, much like prior, but, while the two remained silent as their eyes studied the black sky above them, Alison’s hand crawled over to Emily’s, linking her pinky and ring finger with the brunette’s before swallowing nervously. Neither of them mentioned it that night or any time after, especially because it was right before Alison’s downward spiral (or further-uphill climb to the throne), eventually resulting in their third, alcohol-infused kiss the following year.

Emily remembers watching Alison practically grind against some dude at a themed party hosted by Noel Kahn. She couldn’t tear her eyes away and, admittedly, she didn’t want to, but Spencer and Aria both stood beside her and attempted to drag the third brunette elsewhere; they broadly knew about Emily’s recent past with Alison, but didn’t know the extent of her feelings ━ no one did. To wreak some havoc, Emily decided to force herself into the center of everyone else, moderately drinking with a girl from fifth period ━ one whom Alison loathed.

_ “I’ll be right back,” Emily puts a confident smile on her face as she turns away from the girl she’s been talking to, though the facade falls flat within seconds of walking out of the living room and into an empty, further-away hallway. _

_ The house is booming, more so because the neighborhood is so spacious that the gaps between houses are pretty expansive, leaving more silence to be disrupted by the speakers that Noel had hooked up around the lot. Additionally, the house is already a mess with cups strewn everywhere, people lying on couches while others stand and flirt, and smoke clouds floating about. Quite frankly, this isn’t Emily’s “scene” at all and, really, she wishes she could go home but the blonde that’s been on her mind has been staring at her for most of the night and, God, she just wants to━  _

_ Upon taking a turn in the hallway, Emily comes face to face with Alison whose eyes are severely glossed over. The brunette has no idea if it’s because of the alcohol or, perhaps, the blonde’s been crying ━ or a combination of the two ━ but she doesn’t look good. All irritation with the girl subsides when Emily feels a tinge of guilt, sensing that a lot of this is due to their failing friendship ━ or whatever it’s called. _

_ “Are you okay?” Emily frowns, the expression intensifying when she sees tears spring into Alison’s blue eyes. _

_ Her mouth opens and closes at first, not knowing what to say initially, but, when she finally goes to whisper an apology, she’s backed up into the hallway wall by Alison who wears unreadable features. _

_ “Ali, I’m━” _

_ The feeling of the cool wall mixed in with the proximity of their faces causes Emily’s breath to get caught in her throat, swallowing hard because she has no idea what to do. In the end, she doesn’t have time to react before Alison’s lips are on hers, moving heavily with a hunger that she hadn’t felt with the girl who has her pinned against the wall. Although the blonde seems determined to extend the kiss with an evident desperation, her hands come up to cup Emily’s jaw, holding her face with a gentle grip that opposes what the brunette feels against her mouth. _

_ Emily’s hands end up holding onto Alison’s waist, not knowing whether or not she should bring the girl closer. It doesn’t matter, however, because Alison takes a step further so her body is pressed against Emily’s while their tongues meet with a soft moan coming from the blonde’s throat. _

_ The subtle sound must have snapped Alison back into reality because, once she seemed to melt further into the embrace, she ended the kiss with her fingertips dragging down Emily’s cheeks until her hands were at her sides.  _

_ She stares at Emily who wears the same, wide-eyed expression, simply studying one another. Alison’s focus is fuzzy and, from the brunette’s point of view, the girl’s eyes are completely lidded and glossed-over. Right before Alison goes to turn away, Emily barely catches sight of the girl’s lower lip quivering, but doesn’t have time to say or ask anything. Instead, Alison hastily exits the hallway, leaving a stunned Emily leaning against the wall with lipstick smeared along her mouth. _

After that encounter, their conversations began to fade even more, gradually becoming non-existent as Alison broke from the group ( _ entirely _ ) with Hanna, soon “adopting” Mona. Emily stood by Spencer and Aria with a clouded mindset, trying her best to ignore the blonde that was always,  _ begrudgingly  _ on her mind ━ just like she is right now.

Emily sighs and shakes her head, shutting off the now-cold water and stepping out of the space. She towel-dries her hair as much as she can within the next, two minutes, simultaneously walking around. Once done tending to her hair, the brunette dries off her body and tugs on her random, barely thought-of outfit, shaking her head because this isn’t how she pictured the day going whatsoever. 

Finally, she’s at least moderately put-together, so, without delaying any longer, her feet take her out of the bathroom and across the hallway, immediately running over to her phone to see that Jason responded with the address. She smiles graciously but swallows hard because she can’t afford to gain a large sense of optimism without actually finding Alison, quickly typing out  _ “Thank you so much”  _ and hitting send. While Emily stands at the foot of the bed, she begins to wonder if Alison had taken anything with her so, after walking over to the closet, she sees a small space opened and, all over again, her chest gains a massive heaviness. It only solidifies her theory since not a whole lot is gone, however, so she moves back over to her drawers and begins to toss a bundle of assorted clothing items into the suitcase that she had taken to Vegas, formerly shoved into the corner of the room. T-shirts, jeans, sweatpants, underwear, and bras are thrown into the bag in a jumbled mess, not caring about organization as long as everything fits.

Next, she snatches her wallet and goes through everything to make sure her cards and I.D. are in place, nodding to herself once the placement looks normal. Turning around, her eyes scan the rest of the room to figure out what else she needs for this spur-of-the-moment trip to North Carolina and, God, she’s going to have to kick Alison’s ass if the girl is  _ actually there _ . 

Her focus shifts to the floor suddenly, spotting that damn letter. She reaches down and snatches the piece of paper before folding it into a tiny rectangle, afterwards tossing it onto the dresser because she has no clue what to do with it as of right now.

Once realizing that there’s nothing more to take for the (hopefully short) trip, Emily drags the suitcase downstairs, along with pocketing her wallet, phone, and charger. She pushes the bag against the front door and rounds the railing, walking down the hallway and passing the guest room on her way. Before she fully moves by the open door, however, the brunette backtracks when her eyes land on the papers sitting atop the room’s nightstand, along with that red, plastic ring case from Vegas. She frowns, more so because Alison didn’t think to take the items even though she “left.” Again, Emily tries to understand, but the words  _ “Certificate of Marriage”  _ stare back at her and her eyes water like before. 

Without lingering for too long, she shoves the small, red box into her pocket and goes to turn around, determined to finish getting ready so she can head over to the airport. She doesn’t make it through the door, in the end, because her eyes are widening when they see that the blonde didn’t take her mother’s necklace. In fact, Emily is completely stunned to see the object in the guest room _ at all  _ because of its monumental value to the girl who’s been sleeping upstairs. She bites her lower lip as she stares at the piece of jewelry, carefully picking it up and gently closing her fingers around the item before walking out with both the ring case and Mrs. DiLaurentis’ necklace. No matter if Alison comes home or declares that she  _ can’t  _ come back, Emily knows that the girl deserves to keep her mother’s necklace in any case scenario. The brunette shakes her head; Alison  _ is  _ coming home. She’s coming back to  _ their  _ home.

Moving into the kitchen, the brunette snatches the plastic cup of iced coffee and makes sure the back door is locked. Once she turns her body to look at the rest of the kitchen, she decides that it’s time to leave. So, without letting another five seconds pass, Emily━ 

Her phone begins to ring in her back pocket and she fumbles for the device, eventually seeing Hanna’s name appear on the screen. She answers, of course, and the blonde is talking before she can hold the phone to her ear.

_ “Don’t even try to tell me that you just finished showering because I know you, and━” _

“I’m going to North Carolina,” Emily interrupts as she paces slightly.

_ “What?”  _ the other girl sounds purely confused, her voice sharp yet taken aback. 

“I think Alison went to her family’s old vacation house. She must have,” the brunette explains, not wanting to give much away. “It’s the only place where she knows how to feel safe. She’s there. She has to be.”

_ “So, you mean to tell me that she just… woke up and ran states away?”  _ her tone doesn’t sound disbelieving but, again, confused.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you,” Emily begins to walk out of the kitchen while still on the phone.

_ “How the hell did she manage that?” _

“It’s complicated, okay?” she shakes her head. “Look, I have to go. I’ll text you when I’m at the airport.”

_ “Emily, wait,” _ Hanna stresses over the phone, stopping the brunette who now stands next to the front door as she grabs her keys after placing the iced coffee on a nearby table.

“Don’t you dare try to stop me, Hanna. I don’t care if she needs to think and I don’t care if she gets pissed at me. I’m  _ not  _ leaving her alone in an entirely different state,” Emily gets out as she stares at the door. “I’m going.”

_ “Stop you? What? No,”  _ she can practically hear the girl heavily shaking her head. _ “Just don’t forget the damn ring.” _

“Right,” the brunette nods, more so to herself.

_ “Go get your wife.” _

Emily hangs up without giving the girl a goodbye. Really, she can hardly breathe now but there’s no way she’s deciding against this whole plan. She’s sick of sitting back and watching people come and go. No, this is  _ Alison _ , the girl she’s fallen in love with after every, shitty thing that life has thrown at them ━ not that she ever fell out of love with her, in the first place. In her heart, Emily knows that Alison loves her equally as much and it’s not because she confessed it in this morning’s note-from-hell, but because of her body language and overall attitude. They’re in love and that’s the one thing the brunette is sure of. Hell, this North Carolina trip could be a bust if Alison isn’t there but she has to  _ try _ ; she refuses to do anything other than try.

She walks out of the house and locks the door behind her, mentally checking again to make sure everything is in order before dragging her bag to the car and tossing it in the backseat while taking a sip of her drink, determined to gain some energy for this trip. While her body is practically on autopilot, she slides into the driver’s side and takes a deep breath, eyes floating over to the glove box. Her hand reaches for the compartment and it opens with ease, revealing the small, black box holding an expensive, beautiful ring. She eyes the item before shutting the area, clasping it shut.

With multiple, deep breaths, she gathers up the necessary courage, starts the car’s engine, and reverses out of the driveway. Next stop: the airport. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, then. That's a good amount of self-blame, right there.
> 
> Again, I cannot stress enough how important Emily's changes have been. From Ch 1, she's altered how she thinks of Alison and completely paved over how the girl treated her with new memories and forgiveness. Unfortunately, she believes that she hadn't vocalized that forgiveness enough, nor her love for Alison. Obviously, that'll have to change. I told you within a far-back author's note that these two will have to reach equilibrium when it comes to their personalities, and it goes the same for their confessions/trust. We aren't there yet, but we will be soon.
> 
> Mrs. DiLaurentis' necklace is very important. It'll be a pivotal object within these last, few chapters (and even the epilogue). Emily was right to take it, and it just shows how different she is from Holbrook (aside from the very obvious reasons); we saw Holbrook attempting to take back Alison's necklace for monetary and power value, whereas Emily knows it belongs to Alison because of its emotional and sentimental value.
> 
> I think the stargazing flashback is my favorite. That memory took place when Alison was beginning to crumble, and she knew she was starting to break down because of her feelings for Emily. It took place only days after the locker room kiss, causing Alison to be far more vulnerable than usual and Emily knew it. Similarly, Alison knew shit was bound to go downhill between them, which is primarily why she asked Emily to promise that they'd always find their way back to one another. Obviously we saw Emily make the promise to Alison and she absolutely intends on keeping it. ━ Their third kiss was much more raw and far more emotional, in a rough sense. It was when they were barely talking while attempting to get under one another's skin, but Alison was still in the process of breaking and those sad feelings & self-loathing became catalysts which caused her to act out. I want you to note the idea brought up in Ch 1 regarding Alison's drinking habits ━ or lack thereof. There's still one reason remaining as to why she doesn't drink much, and it'll actually be brought up by someone in a future chapter.
> 
> So… North Carolina, huh? I'll meet you there.
> 
> Next update: Tuesday (because I'm nice and don't want to make you wait too long for this one, but it may be later in the day).
> 
> As we near the end of this story, I want to thank everyone again for the constant support/comments/reviews. This fic has sure been a ride and I'm happy to have had you accompany me.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First: Thank you, everyone, for the wishes/love regarding Muffin. Means a ton to my family and I.
> 
> Second: After last chapter, I received multiple reviews asking about my next story/if there's a story I'll be writing in the future. The answer is that I'm not sure. I have a few ideas swirling around (only one of which is a multi-chapter), but I'm not positive that I'll be writing any more fics (whether it's Emison or in general). My initial decision after this was finished being written was that I'd start working on writing my own story (like… entirely from my little brain with my own plot, characters, etc.), but I have no idea. No matter what my decision is, I'll likely post more drabbles (on Tumblr; "capn-charlie") and/or more one-shots, so I'll let you know if/when I decide to write another Emison story.
> 
> Now, before we start, I feel the need to reveal that this is my second favorite chapter (next to Ch 11), so I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> Hello, North Carolina.

Emily takes a deep breath without allowing her eyes to leave the long, forest-central road ahead of her. The area looks the same as it had forty-five minutes ago, just after exiting a thirty-minute stretch of what looked to be a countryside town. Although she only has an estimated fifteen minutes of driving left until she reaches the cabin (or so the rental car’s built-in GPS says), the brunette can’t imagine finding any sort of human life around here since only three cars have passed her during the forty-five minute, forest-viewing span. It’s beautiful, there’s no doubt about that, but the sky is pretty damn dark now that it’s nearing 8:15 P.M. and she just wants to be with Alison already ━ not that she knows,  _ for sure _ , that the blonde is at the cabin.

The girl wishes it was earlier, honestly, because she has no idea what she’s going to do if Alison isn’t there when she pulls up to the vacation house. Emily almost didn’t make it to North Carolina, in the first place. With her luck, she had arrived at the airport only ten minutes after the most recent North Carolina flight left. Even then, when she ran up to one of the ticket areas, the woman asked her which airport she wanted to fly to and, at the question, the brunette’s eyes widened. The lady behind the desk, sensing her struggle, asked for her overall destination and Emily (after a stuttering fit) told her, resulting in the woman looking up the next flight for that airport: 4:50 P.M. Emily wanted to groan at the time, more so because she knew she’d have to drive around ninety minutes after landing which meant she’d be pulling up around 8:45 P.M. Nonetheless, she bought the ticket with ease, thanking every higher power for her willingness to save her money instead of spending it constantly, building up a pretty good fund in the bank ━ with the exception of the chunk of money she found withdrawn from her account after their abrupt, Vegas wedding. 

She’s earlier than expected as she glances at the clock, taking a deep breath and inhaling the scent of the rental car’s cheap cleaning solution. Her nerves are beginning to consume her far more than previously and, even before, she was a complete mess. At the airport hours ago, Emily had called Aria and, to put it bluntly, she wasn’t the most fluid with her words ━ or decisions.

_ “Aria, I have a huge favor to ask,” Emily gets out, pacing back and forth in a large, shiny lobby as she holds the phone to her ear. _

_ “Does it include money? Because if so━” _

_ “No, no,” the brunette shakes her head. “Can you head over to my house sometime tonight to make sure I shut everything off? Lights and whatever else. I have to go somewhere for the night and I was sorta on autopilot before I left.” _

_ “Um, okay…” the girl drawls, “but why didn’t you ask Toby? He lives right next door.” _

_ “I didn’t even think of that…” Emily mentally scolds herself, rubbing her forehead. _

_ “Is everything okay, Em?” _

_ “Okay, I’m not going to lie to you and say yes, but I don’t know,” she groans slightly, afterwards rambling. “Basically, Alison left this morning for God only knows what reason and I woke up to a note and, well, now I’m heading to North Carolina in hopes that she’s actually there, and━” _

_ “Breathe, Emily.” _

_ “I can’t,” the brunette’s eyes widen. “I can barely stand, Aria.” _

_ Before the other girl can respond, Emily hears her flight being called over the intercom and sees her plane’s number on the TV screen. Without missing a beat, she gets out a quick “Myplaneisherebye” and ends the call, fast-walking to her destination so she can board the plane and, soon, see Alison again ━ hopefully. _

Her nerves skyrocket when she spots an old-looking, white tree on the right side of the road, followed by her anxiousness reaching an all time high when her eyes land on a broken-down sign with two, damaged and rusty chimes hanging off one edge.

She turns onto the dusty, dirt road, following the winding path as the trees begin to thin out little by little. At first, Emily can’t see any houses around the area but, once the path curves once more and takes her down a small dip in the road, a compact cabin is pushed against the edge of a lake. It isn’t sitting on the water, however, because the cabin actually resides on a hill as the waves fill the space below. From where Emily slowly rolls along the path, she can only see the middle of the lake and further out, completely missing the closer portion of the shore since the view is disrupted by a stone wall sitting atop the hill’s peak. Additionally, as far as she can tell, no houses line the other side of the lake, judging by the lack of porch lights or, well,  _ any  _ lights. 

Another thing she can’t see is a car on the lot. In fact, the cabin looks empty from what she studies as she parks the car on the side of the small house. Panic begins to set in as Emily turns the ignition off, afterwards fumbling for the plastic, red ring case and shoving it into her hoodie pocket, followed by doing the same with Mrs. DiLaurentis’ necklace. 

After yet another, deep breath, the brunette pushes the door open and plants her feet firmly on the ground, softly shutting the door behind her and moving around the small, front porch so she can walk up to the cabin’s door. There’s a window inserted into the wood so she can partially peek inside but, while doing so, she realizes that it’s way too dark within the cabin ━ as well as outside ━ and her heart sinks. She knocks on the door swiftly but quietly, understanding that it’s a stupid, last attempt. When no one answers, she leans her forehead on the barrier and sighs, feeling absolutely hopeless because she’s standing in the middle of the woods with a ring and fallen optimism.

Emily seals her eyes shut as she turns around, leaning her back against the wooden, cabin door while she thinks long and hard, attempting to remember something that Alison had said.

_ “All I wanted to do was sit by the lake and stare at the water.” _

The brunette bites her lower lip and her eyes dart along the dirt ground in front of the porch.

_ “There used to be this picnic table near the edge of the woods that I’d sit on for hours.” _

With newfound, strong hope, Emily jumps down the two steps and all but runs over to the stone wall, looking down along the shore of the lake while scanning the area. Thankfully, the moonlight illuminates the entire body of water and the ground that’s out of the forest’s reach, allowing the brunette to see more than if it was fully dark outside. After seven seconds of searching, she spots someone ━  _ her  _ someone ━ sitting in the exact spot she used to love: atop a picnic table at the edge of the lake’s shore, just outside the thinned-out forest. She smiles heavily and breathes out, shoving herself away from the stone wall and speed-walking along the narrow, winding path that leads down to the shoreline. 

The walk is short but, currently, it feels as though she takes ten minutes longer before she’s standing twenty-five yards away from the blonde who stares at the lake in front of her, hair put up in a messy bun while wearing the hoodie that Emily had given her weeks ago. The brunette’s lips curve into another smile when she sees the clothing item, feeling honored that Alison still chose to wear it even after she wrote that “I can’t stay” type of note this morning.

Emily swallows hard and walks in the girl’s direction at a slow, quiet rate until she’s standing ten feet behind the picnic table. Alison continues looking at the body of water in front of her.

“Is this still your favorite thinking spot?” Emily’s voice is only loud enough for Alison to hear, tone cautious yet adoring. 

If the blonde was shocked at the abrupt, random voice, she didn’t show it. In fact, she doesn’t move while watching the small waves disrupt the moonlight’s glow. Finally, Alison turns a fraction so she can timidly glance over her shoulder, partially giving the brunette the green light to approach. Emily takes a few more steps until she’s standing only two feet away from the bench, now residing on the side where she can see old, dried-out tear stains on the girl’s cheeks. She doesn’t mention it, however, and reaches into her pocket before presenting Mrs. DiLaurentis’ necklace to Alison who eyes the piece of jewelry with parted lips.

“You forgot this when you left,” the brunette wears a tiny smile, extending her arm so she can gently place the item in the other girl’s palm.

“Thanks,” she only mouths the word, the actual sound not making it out of her throat.

“What's with you and leaving notes so I'll chase you?” Emily smiles further, tilting her head to the side while standing next to the picnic table, hands in her pockets.

Alison allows a tiny laugh to pass her lips, “This wasn't exactly one of those notes.”

“Maybe, but I noticed that you didn't tell me it’s a permanent goodbye.”

No response comes; Alison sits there, legs pressed together as her feet rest on the table’s bench while she remains situated atop the wooden surface, hands tucked between her knees as she holds her mother’s necklace. She purses her lips and takes a deep breath, looking ahead and semi-ignoring the girl who studies her face.

“You didn't really expect me to leave you alone, did you?”

The blonde shrugs, not offering any words because, actually, she didn’t know if Emily would chase her ━  _ definitely  _ not to North Carolina, come to think of it. 

“Do you  _ want _ me to leave you alone?” Emily questions with genuine wonder, looking at the girl who still doesn't face her until moments later.

After a silent stare-down, Alison swallows hard and shakes her head, quickly looking away because her eyes feel like they're about to start watering. If she’s being honest, she didn’t want to leave Emily  _ at all _ , but, after an extremely sleepless night and a million crying fits, she couldn’t stay. She felt guilty throughout the night and well into the morning, especially once she decided to leave. It took every power inside of her to walk out. In fact, she broke down as she began to near the front door of their house, crying hard but attempting to stay as quiet as possible. Finally, she made it outside and walked alongside the street until waving down a taxi that took her and her two bags to the airport.

Emily’s brown eyes scan Alison’s face, noting that the girl is thinking about something because a lone tear trails down her cheek. In response, the brunette wants to reach out and wipe it away but can’t, not bringing herself to make any, bold moves right now because who knows how Alison will react. So, instead, she settles on approaching the bench further so she can sit next to the blonde.

“Can I ask you something?” Emily whispers as she gets comfortable, hands tucked into her zip-up hoodie pockets while feeling around for the red box to make sure it’s still in place.

She gets a hesitant nod in response, not being looked at while Alison wipes her own tear away.

“What were you planning on doing after this?” curious eyes stare at the girl beside her. “You still have your job, don’t you?”

“I don’t know what I was planning on doing,” Alison breathes out with a whisper, sniffling hard. “I really don’t. I figured I’d just… think about whatever’s going on in my head and, after, who knows.”

“And what were you going to do about us?”

Before Alison can hardly formulate a response, Emily continues.

“I mean… we’re still technically married,” she looks at the blonde whose lips are parted. “You could try to divorce me without holding a face-to-face conversation but who’s to say I wouldn’t put up a fight?” 

No answer.

“I don’t know about you, but I don’t think we’d do well in court,” Emily mutters with a playful smile, attempting to get a lighter reaction from the blonde next to her and, ultimately, she does; Alison glances down at the bench under her feet and nods with a small laugh, drawing a similar response from the brunette.

“I wasn’t thinking ahead, I guess,” Alison looks at her for a brief moment, afterwards facing the lake again. “I don’t think I was thinking at all, actually.”

Emily nods, more so to herself. She allows more silence to flow between them while they watch the water, listening to small waves crash onto the shore as they hear tiny splashes further out. It’s peaceful, the brunette thinks, and there’s no wonder why Alison enjoys this spot so much. Even at nighttime, this place looks beautiful and completely airy.

Her eyes dart to Alison’s hands when she sees the blonde grasping her mother’s necklace further, adjusting the piece of jewelry in her palm. After, she faces the water while speaking quietly.

“Why don’t you wear it?”

“Hm?” comes the short hum.

“Your mom’s necklace. You never wear it,” Emily expands on the question. “I expected to see you wearing it for CeCe’s benefit dinner, but…”

Alison sighs and looks down, “I always promised myself I wouldn’t wear it unless I knew my mom would be proud of the choices I’m making.”

The brunette’s forehead creases as she pays attention to the answer, feeling her heart ache for the girl she’s come to know and love.

Alison continues through an exhale, raising her eyebrows while looking at the necklace, “Take us, for example. I know she’d be much,  _ much  _ happier that I found someone as special as you,  _ and  _ because of the fact that I actually admitted to feeling something for someone so genuine…” her voice trails off before growing regretful, “but I don’t think she’d be proud of how I treated you back then. Even though she was alive at the time, she never knew what I was doing behind closed doors. Sometimes I regret not letting her know.”

“We all have a past, Alison,” Emily doesn’t stare at the blonde for too long, hoping the girl will keep opening up to her. “I’m sure she’s far beyond proud that you’re willing to think about it and acknowledge what’s happened.”

“Maybe,” she shrugs. “I’m not so sure.”

“I think… your mom would want you to stop worrying about what you’ve done, and focus on improving so it never happens again. Learn and improve,” she remembers the words Alison had used that night in the guest room, hoping it makes the girl understand what she’s saying.

When the blonde takes a deep breath, Emily continues.

“I’ve seen you do that, Ali. You’ve learned from your past relationships and experiences, and, now… you’re so different.”

Alison focuses on the lake in front of them, shifting her jaw while Emily turns to her with pleading, desperate eyes.

“I  _ love _ that different.”

“But I’m still the same person, Emily,” her voice cracks as she looks at the girl sitting beside her. “I’m still the same person who put you through hell when we were younger. How can you live with that?”

“You’re right. In a way, you are,” the brunette nods and stares at Alison who glances at her hands, her thumb rubbing over the necklace. “In a way, you’re still the fiery Alison DiLaurentis that I  _ reluctantly  _ loved when we were teenagers and you’ll  _ always  _ be a handful. That’s not a bad thing, Ali.”

A tear trails down the blonde’s cheek, quickly being wiped away by her sleeve.

She continues, “That’s why I  _ still _ love you. It makes you real. You’ve  _ evolved _ . You didn’t just take on a new, fake persona throughout the years. You shaped who you are now from what you were before.”

“How can you not loathe who I was before? How can you not  _ hate _ it?” Alison seems beside herself, eyes widening. “I sure as hell wouldn’t blame you.”

“Because that girl shaped  _ me _ into who  _ I  _ am today,” Emily’s voice shakes a fraction. “Because of what we went through, I came out with ease once I was tired of being afraid. I grew into this solid, stubborn person. I finally began taking no one’s shit lying down, including yours,” she breathes out for a moment. “You changed me and you  _ still  _ are.”

Alison shakes her head in response, not allowing the words to sink in as more tears roll down her cheeks. Emily bites her lower lip and her eyes bore into the blonde’s temple, waiting for her to listen for once.

“You have to forgive yourself, Ali,” she speaks in a begging tone. “I do.”

Alison turns her head so she can’t see Emily, forcefully ignoring the plea. The brunette, noticing the girl facing the other way, doesn’t steer away from the topic and, instead, continues with a softer, remembering voice.

“When I saw you for the first time in years, I thought I was only being cold because I hated what you put me through during high school,” Emily confesses and Alison hesitantly resumes her position from before, partially glancing in the brunette’s direction. 

Emily, seeing the girl listening, explains further, “That's not true. Acting cold was a defense mechanism because I was still in love with you. I  _ am _ still in love with you. Only now… I don't want to escape it.”

Finally, she can tell that she has Alison’s attention, judging by the way the blonde’s lips part at the admission while simultaneously looking like she doesn’t particularly want to give into the conversation. The brunette shifts on the table’s surface, turning her body so she’s facing Alison who remains in the same position. They make solid, full eye contact within the impending silence. Without looking away, Emily continues with a sad smile.

“If I felt regretful about  _ anything  _ we’ve been through in the past, I wouldn’t have spent hours traveling here in hopes that you’ll come home with me.  _ Our _ home,” she tries, voice strained.

She can sense Alison having an internal struggle, more so because her blue eyes begin to well up with more tears as her lower lip quivers. The girl turns away just as her tears spill over, sealing her lips forcefully and focusing on the water as Emily stares at her like previously, a sad, pained expression painted across her mouth. She wants to hold Alison’s hand, especially because the blonde seems to be breaking down heavily, but plays with her own fingers instead.

“Before I came along, your life was going so smoothly,” Alison gets out through a tiny sob, taking a deep breath after in order to stop herself from hyperventilating while her eyes can hardly focus on the lake ahead of them.

Emily frowns, “That's exactly it, Alison,” and the girl faces her before she expands on the statement, “I don't want ‘smoothly.’ I'm sick of feeling like I'm in an endless cycle of boredom. I want the bumpy road and the frustration you bring. I want the sadness and happiness, and, God… the stupid situations we get ourselves into.”

Alison turns away for a short moment, causing Emily to get out a soft “I want  _ you _ ” before she’s faced again. 

The brunette smiles through her own watering eyes, “Because of you, I finally feel like I'm living. Not just…” she briefly struggles to come up with anything more, “going through the motions.”

No answer; Alison chews her lower lip and stares at her hands, now firmly tucked between her knees while she holds her mother’s necklace with a tight, desperate grip.

“Look,” Emily takes a small, deep breath, “I didn’t come here to save you, mostly because I don’t believe you need saving. You’re strong,” she whispers. “Actually, I think you’re the strongest person I know.”

The blonde evades her eyes, clearly not agreeing.

She continues, “But I  _ did  _ come here to save  _ me  _ because I know that, if I let you leave without trying to convince you otherwise, I’ll lose the great person I’ve become since you’ve been with me and I don’t want that.”

Alison fully looks at her when she hears Emily’s voice crack, feeling a sharp twinge of pain hit her in the chest. 

“I want to grow with you,” the brunette confesses. “I want to start an  _ actual  _ life with you. I want to finish signing whatever papers we have to, redo our house a bit, and…  _ be  _ with you.”

Emily sees that the other girl isn’t ready to respond yet, so she grabs for her free hand and intertwines their fingers in hopes that it’ll give both of them the strength to hold this conversation until the end. Alison looks at their clasped hands and breathes out, afterwards glancing into brown eyes.

The brunette rubs her lips together but, soon, forces more words out, “I  _ know  _ I’m not going to find that kind of happiness with someone else and, I’ll be honest, I don’t  _ want  _ to.  _ Ever _ . If you leave…” she stares downwards while pausing briefly.

When she doesn’t know how to continue that sentence, a new one is started, “I’m not going to use anything against you to make you stay, or guilt you into it. That’s not what I’m trying to do,” her voice is just above a whisper, earning curious eyes that lock with hers. “But I know you, Ali, and I know you want this just as much but you’re afraid of what you did to me one time or another and that’s  _ okay _ , but  _ please  _ take this risk with me.”

Alison goes to answer when her lips part but, again, nothing comes out, so she looks down at their entwined fingers and takes a deep inhale. After another ten seconds of silence, Emily takes the initiative to try more.

“I woke up that morning in Vegas with a headache and a sense of not knowing what the hell happened,” she pauses, “but I also woke up married to someone very important to me and, when I looked down, I saw a note on my hand saying ‘I bet on you’ written in black ink.”

The blonde’s eyes slam shut when she remembers writing the message, afterwards biting her lower lip when tears trail down her cheeks even though she manages to breathe out a shaky laugh.

“Bet on me again, Alison,” Emily whispers. “Please. Forgive yourself and just… stay with me.”

Alison allows the words to swirl around in her mind. Honestly, she wants to stay with Emily and, fuck, she’s so sorry she walked out in the first place, but she had no idea what to do and, instead,  _ panicked _ . It was a stupid decision and she knows that, but who’s to say that stunt didn’t do enough damage to the point where Emily backtracks on everything she’s saying right now. Sure, Emily has brought up some good points and she makes a convincing argument but, on the outside, Alison sighs because it’s still so hard to make sense of.

In the end, she forcefully clears her throat when it feels too dry and drums up some courage while pushing her mother’s necklace into one of the hoodie’s pockets, determined to explain something going through her mind ━ one thought of many.

“You know, I thought this entire, marriage situation would be the thing that I’d regret the most,” Alison slowly shakes her head, staring at the lake in front of them as she wipes her eyes. “Surprisingly, it’s the one thing that’s kept me relatively human. The one thing that’s made a big difference in my life.”

“So you  _ are  _ happy you bet on me?” Emily sniffles but smirks, eyeing the girl who can’t stop a smile from forming.

“I am,” she confirms with a head nod, turning to look at her, “and, like always… I won.”

“Unless we’re playing pool,” Emily answers without missing a beat, getting a playful, half-assed eye-roll in return. 

They stare at one another for a multitude of seconds, enjoying the silence while both wear timid, hesitant smiles that non-verbally say “I want to kiss you so bad.” It feels ten times lighter now and, below the surface, butterflies flutter in Alison’s stomach and she doesn’t even attempt to shoo them away; she allows herself to enjoy the feeling, breathing steadily as she stares into brown, lovable eyes. 

Emily tilts her head to the side and narrows her eyes with a cheesy, tight-lipped smile, ultimately eliciting a tiny laugh from Alison who catches her focus drifting down to the brunette’s lips time and time again. When Emily can tell that they’re both beginning to struggle, she glances at their clasped hands and finds her voice again.

“Alison, I need you to understand something,” the brunette regains eye contact, earning curious, furrowed eyebrows. “I'm not going anywhere and I don't  _ want _ to,” her voice holds serious conviction and Alison can’t find any hesitation. “We’re not living in the past. We’re living in the now and looking towards the future.  _ Together _ . You and I.”

“How can you be sure you want that?” the blonde is starting to understand where Emily stands but, on the other hand, still has hidden doubts ━ even if she doesn’t want to.

“Because I haven't stopped thinking about a life with you ever since I finally let myself  _ feel _ ,” Emily smiles sadly. “It's actually the  _ only _ thing I'm completely sure of.”

“Me too,” Alison looks down and mutters. “God, I'm so sorry I left,” she looks back up, offering the brunette an apologetic expression.

“Ali, it's done,” Emily comforts and holds her hand tighter. “I'm here with you now and I'm not leaving without you.”

“Promise?” she appears completely vulnerable and, in response, Emily’s features turn softer and she seems to think for a moment, soon looking past the other girl as if lost in thought.

“Do you remember that night in your backyard when we watched the stars?” the brunette diverts the question, glancing beyond Alison until she speaks again with a bigger smile. “You stole some Smirnoffs from the fridge and brought them out in the middle of the night. We laid there for hours, just looking up.”

“Of course,” Alison’s voice is barely audible, eyes curious because she's surprised that the girl remembers.

“I remember lying there and waiting for something to happen,” Emily’s eyes float down to Alison’s lips for a split second before regaining eye contact. “Do you remember what you asked me?”

No answer, but the girl's eyes show that she remembers beyond a shadow of a doubt.

“You asked me to promise that we’ll always be together. No matter what,” she reminds. “For a while, I guess we both ignored the promise, but I always held onto it. I just couldn't find a way to fulfill it. Not until today.”

Alison stares at her, a newer smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“So, my answer is the same as back then,” Emily’s eyes are gentle. “I promise.”

The blonde swallows hard, getting out a barely audible “Do you mean it?” and the other girl smiles big at the question.

“Always,” she confirms.

Silence fills the air while both girls take their time breathing and allowing everything to sink in. Within the next fifteen seconds, however, Emily speaks again, her voice understanding.

“I’m not expecting you to feel better overnight and I hope you know that,” she mutters. “I know it’s probably going to take some time… but I’m asking you to allow yourself to heal because, whether or not you believe me, you  _ do  _ deserve it.”

Alison nods a fraction, “We can work on it.”

“Oh, so there  _ is  _ a we?” the brunette smirks and the other girl laughs.

Emily exaggeratedly sighs, “I’m guessing that you want your ring back, then,” followed by a knowing grin, tilting her head to look at Alison who smiles and laughs while nodding.

“You brought it?” she asks with the same laugh, afterwards flashing a big smile that shows her pretty teeth in the moonlight.

The brunette pulls the plastic, clip case out of her hoodie pocket with a hummed “Mhm,” holding it in her fist until she presents it to Alison, the item still clasped shut.

“What?” the blonde arches an eyebrow. “No official proposal?” she jokes.

“I didn’t know if we were trying to be cliché or not,” Emily rolls her eyes playfully, afterwards pushing off the picnic table and standing in front of Alison who wasn’t exactly expecting the brunette to actually follow through.

“We’ve already passed cliché, don’t you think?” nonetheless, she tilts her head to the side and plays along, smiling when the girl nods in admittance.

The brunette does her best to kneel, sticking her knee in the dirt and grunting as Alison snorts at the sound. When Emily clears her throat and studies the ground as if she’s debating on what to say, the blonde watches her curiously, waiting as she barely breathes, a kind yet nervous expression covering her features. 

At first, Emily waits and simply holds the box in her hand, feeling the smooth plastic against her fingertips as she wonders whether or not she should open it. Soon, however, she speaks through a shaky grin, keeping the box shut as Alison looks down at her with lovable eyes.

“Alison…” Emily finally glances up at her, smiling though she feels way more nervous than she had seconds prior, “…girl I once  _ thought  _ I knew but has surprised me again and again…” the blonde laughs at the brunette’s cheeky, tight-lipped smile. 

Emily rubs her lips together, breathes out, and whispers, “Will you marry me? Or, well…  _ stay _ married to me? Willingly,” she finishes after a small ramble, listening to a timid laugh come from the girl who nods immediately afterwards with a quiet, almost-mouthed “Yes.”

The brunette stands up because her knee is starting to really dig into the soggy ground, being watched by the girl who remains sitting in the same position. She takes a step forward and stands with her legs pressed against the bench part of the picnic table, leaning her forearms on Alison’s knees as they stare at one another. 

Finally, Emily mutters a small “Okay” and presents the box again, opening the clip to reveal a much more expensive piece of jewelry that the blonde’s eyes widen at, not knowing when or how she bought it. Her eyes struggle with figuring out where to look because, while she wants to study the beautiful ring more in-depth, she sees a bigger, “I got you” kind of smile growing on Emily’s face. In the end, all she manages to get out is the beginning of a choked-up “When…” and the brunette’s expression is fragile yet knowing, locking sight with Alison who feels tears lining the bottom of her eyes.

“Monday,” her grin is tiny as she holds the box in the same position, looking down at the piece of jewelry. 

“That makes sense,” Alison exhales with a shaky laugh, sniffling a little as Emily narrows her eyes in confusion. “You’re a crappy liar,” she explains with a bigger laugh, being shown a forced pout that doesn’t hold for longer than two seconds because the brunette matches the amused reaction.

“I know I am, but you didn’t make it any easier for me,” Emily’s eyes widen in accusation, the same smile painted across her mouth as Alison smirks innocently.

When their laughing and smiles die down, leaving a lingering, lovable energy between them, Emily takes the ring out of the red box and puts the container next to the girl. After three seconds and shaky eye contact with mirrored, nervous grins, Emily takes Alison’s hand and slides the ring onto her finger with ease, slowly being adjusted once it’s secure.

“It’s so perfect,” Alison gets a closer look, blinking away stray tears that don’t fall. 

“Do you really like it?” Emily feels even more nervous but, once the words leave her mouth, the blonde gets a gentle grasp on her jaw and leans forward to share a meaningful kiss.

The other girl shuffles as close as she can to the bench, nails scraping against Alison’s jeans as her hands hold onto the blonde’s knees. They kiss for an extended amount of time, practically feeling the silent  _ I missed you _ ’s float between their mouths as Alison pulls her face closer without either of them falling over. When their deeper kiss trails off into multiple, short pecks, the blonde smiles as she sees the love-drunk expression on Emily’s face, backing up so she can look into brown eyes that, eventually, open and stare at her.

“I love you,” Alison whispers even though it feels like there’s a brick in her throat, though she finally gets those three words out after a week of hesitation; currently, she feels as if a huge weight is lifted off her chest and, now, she’s able to declare her love for Emily without struggling.

“I love you too,” Emily leans in and kisses her again, afterwards backing up and staring at the ring on the blonde’s finger.

Alison does the same and fixes the piece of jewelry, noting how it fits perfectly. She feels her cheeks warming up and breathes out with a tiny laugh, shaking her head as Emily arches an eyebrow.

“I can't believe you already had a plan to give me this,” Alison watches the brunette take a deep breath.

“Mhm,” Emily hums while she exhales, “but you running away was  _ not _ part of the plan, thank you very much.”

The blonde laughs hard, “I’m so sorry.”

“If you had waited only a few more freakin’ hours,” she groans and Alison bites her lower lip with a sheepish expression.

“Well, maybe you should’ve shown it to me beforehand,” the blonde exaggeratedly shrugs and offers a cheeky yet devious, beaming grin while Emily’s eyes widen with a pointed, disbelieving face.

“Don’t even go there,” the brunette shakes her head with a tight-lipped smile.

“I already did.”

“I can take it back,” Emily glances down at the girl’s ring, earning a glare.

“No, you can’t.”

She goes to grab Alison’s hands but the girl moves them behind her body, hiding them as she squeaks when Emily attempts to reach around her repeatedly. When the brunette tugs on her arms, Alison shakes her head with a taunting noise, only to chuckle when Emily actually climbs onto the bench. Again, Emily wraps her arms around Alison’s waist and attempts to find her hands but can’t, eventually knocking the blonde onto her back. The brunette narrows her eyes but leans over the girl who seals her lips forcefully, focus dancing between Emily’s mouth and determined gaze. She breathes heavily while attempting to recover from laughing hard, meanwhile staring up at Emily who smiles warmly before leaning down and kissing Alison.

The blonde revels in the feeling of the heated kiss, enjoying every second of it as she frees her left hand and lets it travel up Emily’s arm until it rests on the back of her neck, immediately deepening the kiss when she simultaneously brushes her tongue against the brunette’s. Emily’s right hand drops to Alison’s waist as they kiss while her left holds onto the top edge of the picnic table, pouring more love into the embrace as it becomes far more passionate than when it began. As time passes, Alison gets her other hand free and grasps at the brunette’s hoodie, pulling her as close as possible while kissing Emily heavily.

Two minutes pass before Alison gathers the strength to (begrudgingly) break the kiss, still brushing her nose against Emily’s while smiling at the brunette who struggles to maintain eye contact. A gentle peck is pressed against Alison’s lips within seconds, breaking apart instantly until there’s roughly an inch between their mouths. Alison rubs her thumb against Emily’s jawline, meanwhile somewhat chewing her own bottom lip to keep herself occupied before she’s able to find her voice for the first time in minutes.

“You still have to see the inside of the cabin,” she whispers with a tiny smile while brushing her nose against her lover’s, followed by their lips connecting in a barely noticeable kiss.

“Show me, then,” Emily speaks in the same, quiet tone, partially rolling to the side so Alison can sit up.

The blonde scoots her way off the table, making sure not to fall while standing on the ground for the first time in hours. Emily follows suit and raises an eyebrow at the girl once they’re face to face, earning a breathy, entertained “Sorry, I haven’t tried to stand in a while.”

Emily, in response, walks up to Alison but turns around while looking over her shoulder, silently offering a piggy-back ride. The girl stares at her for a few more seconds but, eventually, chuckles and makes sure her mother’s necklace and the plastic, red box are secured in her pockets before accepting the piggy-back proposal, jumping onto the brunette’s back and being automatically held in place when Emily’s arms partially hook under her legs. Alison wraps her arms loosely around the girl’s neck, staying still as they begin to move toward the house at a steady rate.

“How’d you get the house at the last minute?” Emily wonders aloud as she walks up the hill, hearing Alison hum in her ear.

“Well, I looked at the available dates yesterday and remembered that tonight was available, so I called them this morning. I didn’t know if I’d be able to get it, honestly. I figured it was too late since you usually need to put down a deposit, but the same people own it and they surprisingly remembered me,” she smiles. “I met them here earlier since they were in the area. A cute, little, old couple.”

“So, you only have it for tonight?” 

“Unfortunately,” the girl sighs. “We have to leave by noon tomorrow so the cleaning crew can take over.”

“We?” Emily smirks. “You seem to be under the impression that I’m sleeping here with you.”

“Mm, you are,” her voice is low. “I want you all to myself tonight.”

The brunette chuckles at the playful yet seductive statement, carrying Alison up the rest of the dirt path until reaching the rental car. She hums while managing to unlock the vehicle, meanwhile being giggled at by the blonde who stays in place with a loose hold around the girl’s neck. Emily picks her suitcase out of the backseat and grunts when she has to bring both the bag and Alison up the few, porch stairs, eventually facing the front door as she clears her throat until the blonde gets the hint to unlock the cabin. 

When Alison can’t reach the doorknob whilst on Emily’s back, she shifts until the brunette lets go, eventually unlocking the door and pushing it open after hitting an inside light switch. Emily follows and takes in the new view, absentmindedly speaking while she closes the door behind her body and leaves the suitcase against the wall.

“How’d you get here, anyway?” 

“I took a taxi from the airport. Cost a lot but I wasn't in the right mindset to drive,” Alison sighs as she turns to face Emily, standing in the middle of the large, open-concept cabin. “It works out nicely since you rented a car for us to take back.”

“Who says I’m letting you come with me?” Emily teases as she lingers near the door, smirk fading when Alison begins to approach with narrowed eyes and a cunning grin of her own.

“Are you going to keep attempting to play hard to get? Because I vividly recall you giving me a very expensive and meaningful ring not too long ago,” she comes to a standstill in front of the brunette, only three inches of space between their bodies as she tilts her head to the side.

No response comes. In fact, Emily can’t even  _ think  _ of anything to reply because blue eyes turn dark as she stares into them, Alison’s expression becoming more wanting. When the brunette grows nervous for some, new reason, she clears her throat and studies the space behind Alison, walking past the girl who tilts her head in confusion with a tinge of amusement due to the random, timid body language.

As Emily moves further into the space, she smiles at the wooden decor and rustic feel. To the left is a kitchen stocked with a slender fridge, many cabinets, a gas stove, microwave, and an elongated, center island with stools to match. A window looks out across the lake, only disrupted by a small, red curtain. She takes a few steps to the right, turning her body to look at the open living room with a three-seated couch atop an oriental rug rolled along the wood floor, resting feet away from a large, stone fireplace and small, flat-screen TV above. Somewhere along the northernmost wall is the bathroom’s entrance which sits next to the second bedroom’s door with two, twin beds inside. Her eyes land on the master bedroom’s door and she walks closer while Alison watches her take everything in. As she approaches, she peeks into the room and nods while smiling, more so to herself because everything seems so cozy. The master bedroom holds a queen-size bed, two end tables, and a pair of dressers while cute, cabin-like decorations line the walls and deep-red curtains cover the windows.

Once her brown eyes search everything in the small cabin, she turns around to see that she’s being watched with an admirable expression covering Alison’s face, arms crossed as she waits for a comment. Emily laughs when the blonde raises an expectant eyebrow, afterwards settling on joking with Alison who continues to stare at her without turning away.

“The inside isn't  _ that  _ bad,” Emily comments with teasing, squinted eyes as she moves closer to Alison who stands near the living room couch. “You made it sound like there were holes in the walls, pieces of floor missing, and three-legged furniture everywhere.”

Alison laughs at first, “They actually redid the decor, but otherwise it's the same.”

Once she's done speaking, she rubs her lips together in thought while now attempting to evade brown eyes. Emily remains a foot away as the other girl constantly tries to keep focused elsewhere, eyes semi-unintentionally roaming Alison’s body while they stand in place.

“Do you like it?” the blonde’s voice is quiet once she speaks, sounding extremely shy as if she really wants the girl to approve of her favorite place.

“I love it, Ali,” Emily hears her tone and gives her a comforting, genuine smile. “Are we gonna rent it again?”

“Okay, now you’re just trying to sweet-talk me,” Alison accuses with narrowed eyes.

“So what if I am?” the brunette smirks but it turns into a dopey smile. “We could make it a new tradition, in a way.”

Blue eyes stare at her.

“I mean… I know this is  _ your  _ spot and I respect that,” Emily backtracks a bit. “I’m not trying to invade the place that makes you feel safest, but the offer is always there. I’d love to come back here, if you’d let me.”

A newer, fully genuine smile curves along Alison’s mouth as she takes a step forward and doesn’t hesitate to kiss Emily who feels somewhat stunned by the sudden action. Nevertheless, the brunette sighs into the lip-lock as the girl grasps onto her unzipped hoodie with desperation, kissing her hard and pushing her body against Emily’s. She backs up briefly and allows for an inch of space between their mouths, smiling a fraction and whispering, “I love you so much.”

Emily giggles at the confession, not wasting another second before she bites her own lower lip, smiles, and gets out a quiet “Does that mean I’m allowed to come back here?”

The blonde connects their lips again before nodding to break the sudden kiss for a moment, allowing herself to get out a muffled “Please” as Emily’s mouth swallows the word. 

When the brunette hears the somewhat-whimpered response, she feels her legs grow weak while kissing the other girl harder because, fuck, Alison’s only been gone for a day ━  _ if  _ that ━ but it feels like centuries and she’s determined to make their official proposal day memorable. So, when the thought swirls in her mind a bit more, Emily puts an inch of space between their mouths and sheepishly bites her lower lip with a soft, nervous smirk, looking into blue eyes that stare back at her through a dark shade. She gently grabs onto Alison’s unzipped hoodie and walks them backward, her eyes struggling to focus on the girl’s eyes or mouth while her feet take their bodies toward the master bedroom. 

The blonde’s gaze is hungry as she looks at the girl in front of her, overall mixed with a mostly hidden nervousness as she allows Emily to pull them through the doorway at a slow rate. If it was up to her (and if she had the strength), she would’ve shoved the brunette onto the bed minutes ago after rushing her through the living room and into the bedroom, but a large part of her wants this to go slowly, just so she can savor the whole night. Alison licks her lips at the idea, quirking an eyebrow at Emily who rubs her lips together as she stares at the blonde’s features, shuffling backward until they’re standing a foot away from the edge of the mattress, bedroom door creaked shut as only a bit of living room light filters through.

Brown eyes meet blue once they’re at a standstill, both girls too nervous to make a move now that the atmosphere feels… different. Not only are they now  _ willingly  _ married, but they’re on the same page and have admitted their true feelings, as well as their intentions. It’s nice. Actually, it’s far beyond nice, but, at the moment, it’s nerve-wracking and Emily swallows hard before biting her lower lip while struggling to keep a straight line of sight with Alison’s eyes. The blonde has a similar problem; her lips part as she waits for her lover to make a move, listening to the unbearable silence of the room backed by the chirping of crickets coming from somewhere outside. To help Emily out, she takes a small step forward so they’re brushing noses, eyes still open but flickering shut every now and then at the tickling contact.

Emily leans forward, touching her lips to Alison’s with a pressure that the blonde can barely give into. It feels much like their initial kiss in the pool over a week ago, and a tiny, breathy sigh comes from Alison’s throat, causing Emily to push forward and kiss the girl more. Her hands brush the blonde’s hoodie off her shoulders before dragging the garment down her arms, gently dropping the item so the necklace and ring box inside don’t fall out. Alison does the same with Emily’s hoodie and her unbuttoned, plaid shirt beneath, pushing both items onto the floor before lightly scratching her nails across the back of the brunette’s neck. In the meantime, Emily’s hands make their way underneath Alison’s t-shirt as her fingertips drag along her lower back, earning a hardly audible whimper from the girl’s sealed lips. The brunette bunches Alison’s shirt further and further upwards until it ends up right below her breasts. Once her roaming hands come to a standstill, she witnesses Alison tugging her own shirt off in one motion, automatically going back to Emily’s mouth and kissing her hard while she’s given a content exhale from the swift gesture.

Emily wastes no time in undoing the other girl’s jeans, not breaking the heated kiss as she feels Alison’s tongue against her own, nails dragging along her scalp and tangling in her hair. The pair of jeans falls to the floor with a gentle thud, followed by Alison stepping away from the discarded garment while she backs up to get a good look at dark brown eyes that sparkle with new feelings ━ or, maybe, she only hadn’t noticed before tonight. The blonde bites her own bottom lip when she sees Emily’s eyes drifting down to her mouth, the brunette’s shy expression turning confident once she attempts to drum up some courage. 

Alison tilts her head to the side in response, determined to regain the upper hand as she backs up a step, looks at Emily’s outfit, and approaches again. She tugs on her lover’s lip and exaggeratedly pulls downwards with a gentle bite, earning a partial moan when the girl’s eyes slam shut. Once Alison lets go, her hands grab at the hem of Emily’s shirt and pull it upwards, eventually tossing the grey t-shirt with everything else strewn along the floor. She immediately goes to undo Emily’s jeans while the brunette visibly swallows hard, being flashed another smirk when Alison can see her crumbling. Once her jeans are slowly guided down her legs, Emily stands there and stares at Alison who looks as if she’s waiting for the next move, smirk replaced with a kind, lovable smile.

A courageous facade covers Emily’s features moments later, somewhat stunning Alison whose eyes flicker along the girl’s face. The brunette’s focus shifts downwards as she reaches out, carefully tucking two fingers into the waistband of the girl’s panties and hearing a sharp breath come from Alison as they make eye contact. Emily licks her lips and grins in a nervous yet risk-taking way, cautiously moving them backward until her legs hit the bed and she sits down with Alison coming with her. The blonde crawls onto her in a deliberate manner, watching Emily rest her head back on the pillow while staring up with a now-expressionless face. More delicate features replace the facade within moments, though Alison doesn’t see while she leans down and kisses Emily with a calm undertone, feeling the girl’s smooth skin against her own and wanting to whimper at the sensation that she hadn’t dared to let herself think about during the course of the last day.

Emily raises her head an inch or so and pours more love into the kiss, causing Alison to deepen it by brushing her tongue against the brunette’s with tiny, breathy sounds escaping their throats at the same time. They feel their hearts speeding up, mostly due to the heightened temperature between them, and Alison senses herself wanting to give into the girl beneath her straight away but, to distract her frustration, distance is put between their mouths while Emily’s eyes slowly open, having to take an extra moment to focus. When she does, she sees Alison staring down at her with a knowing, shy grin, but the expression takes on an underlying, seductive tone when she tilts her head to the side.

“I wanna play a game,” Alison whispers, sitting up straight along Emily’s torso as the girl’s breathing hitches.

“Okay…” the brunette manages, not knowing where this is going.

“You know how I always trace your palm with my fingers?” again, her voice is quiet and flat, looking down at Emily’s skin before glancing back up to meet brown, narrowed eyes.

“Yes,” Emily matches the tone.

“It’s actually a game,” she tilts her head to the side like before, a tiny, childish smile forming at the corners of her lips. “You trace someone’s skin and write words, only to have them guess what you wrote.”

Emily smiles and tucks her lower lip between her teeth.

“You’re supposed to tell the other person what’s going to symbolize a space in-between words, but I never told you,” the blonde’s smile takes on a shy tint, admirable eyes being given by the girl who lies pressed against the mattress.

“So, all this time, you were using some sort of silent code?”

Alison nods while rubbing her lips together, grinning afterwards.

“Hm,” comes the short hum. “What did you use in-between words, then?”

“A heart.”

“Even the night after I snapped at you?” for some reason, Emily finds it important to know, likely because she realizes that, yes, Alison was hurt by what she said, but maybe the blonde knew, deep down, that she didn’t mean those harsh words ━ and maybe that didn’t deter her feelings, whatsoever. 

“Yes,” her voice is even quieter than previously.

Emily swallows hard but forces a shaky smile, afterwards clearing her throat and whispering, “What’s going to be our spacebar for this round?”

Alison briefly chews her lower lip before leaning down and slowly kissing Emily who allows her hands to roam up the blonde’s sides, extracting a content sigh. 

Once the sound passes her own lips, Alison puts some distance between them and sits up again, raising a daring eyebrow at Emily who still feels fuzzy from the previous, sensual kiss. The tanned girl waits for Alison to begin the game but, before anything, she feels hands nudge her upper back off the mattress, followed by the soft snap of her bra until the garment is loosened. She assists in taking it off, dropping it to the floor before covering her chest with her hands.

Alison entwines their fingers for a multitude of seconds, gently squeezing Emily’s breasts and being granted a strangled whimper from the brunette who seals her lips forcefully. Again, blue eyes stare at the girl who lies against the mattress, deep breaths causing her chest to rise and fall at a steady rate. Alison smiles before letting go of Emily’s hands and reaching behind her own back, casually undoing her bra and tossing it in the same direction as her lover’s. The blonde’s smile turns into a devious smirk as she guides the other girl’s hands upward until they’re against her chest with a gentle grasp. Again, she leans down and kisses Emily hard, choking a gasp into the girl’s mouth when the grip on her breasts squeezes a bit more, afterwards backing up to see a subtle, prideful look on the brunette’s face. She playfully glares in response but straightens her back so she’s sitting like previously, fingertips stroking Emily’s upper ribs with a faint pressure while nails scratch at her upper thighs.

“Ready?” Alison whispers while looking at Emily who hesitantly nods. “I’m going first.”

Emily looks at the ceiling and exhales heavily, already feeling the effects from Alison tracing her skin just beneath her breasts. The other girl smiles at the underlying frustration but the expression is replaced with a seductive gaze, eyes roaming Emily’s body as she mentally decides where to trace first. Emily waits in the meantime, never bothering to glance in Alison’s direction in fear that she’ll instantly melt into a puddle.

“Are you paying attention?” the blonde asks with a knowing grin, another head nod being given in response.

Once Emily feels her right collarbone being traced, her eyes close tightly as she tries to focus on what’s being written, vaguely making out an apostrophe and an “ _ m _ ” before lips deliberately kiss the same area with a soft pressure. She breathes out at the sensation while blue eyes study her reactions, afterwards being able to decipher “ _ happy _ ” being written on the edge of her right collarbone until it partially carries onto her left. Another kiss is placed in the area, this time being a bit more pronounced as it earns the same reaction. 

Emily waits for the next word once there’s a two-second pause, soon feeling Alison’s fingertip dragging along her left collarbone at an even-slower rate that makes her bite her lip while eyes remain sealed shut. When she feels the girl make a small apostrophe, she pays more attention to the two letters after (“ _ re _ ”) since the sensation was too distracting beforehand. This “space” is the longest; the brunette feels Alison’s lips press against her collarbone with more pressure than the previous times, afterwards dragging her bottom lip along the skin as Emily lets out a quiet yet noticeable moan. Alison waits another few seconds before writing again, tracing the girl’s skin with determination as the word “ _ here _ ” is sketched along Emily’s collarbone. She watches the brunette seal her lips shut.

“Done,” Alison whispers and Emily’s eyes flutter open, waiting a short amount of time while focusing before she speaks with a quiet voice.

“I’m happy I’m here too.”

“Your turn,” the words don’t make it out of her throat but the brunette understands.

Emily squints her eyes for a brief period of time while thinking. When she fully opens them, they roam Alison’s body while the blonde waits with curious features and parted lips, watching her lover figure out which part of her skin to touch first. Brown eyes lock with blue after an extensive search, followed by Emily’s lips curving into a shy smile as she gently grips the back of Alison’s neck and brings her down so they’re almost nose to nose while she lies against the pillow. The blonde shifts her body a bit so she’s more comfortable, waiting for Emily to make a move but, instead, is given a bigger smile and a peck on the lips.

“Your sentence begins with a space?” Alison teases and looks into Emily’s eyes, a tiny laugh being the initial response.

“No, I just wanted to kiss you,” she confesses.

The blonde grins and seals her lips while waiting, feeling more nervous with every, silent second that passes. A thumb rubs along her bottom lip, however, as Emily whispers, “Relax.” In response, Alison takes a small breath and does as she’s told, allowing her body to unwind while managing to comfortably hold herself above the other girl.

“My turn,” Emily’s voice is quiet again, a determined shade taking over her attitude while Alison waits.

Brown eyes shift down to the blonde’s mouth before Alison feels the tip of the girl’s thumb tracing along her lower lip, tickling her smooth skin as she watches Emily with heavy eyes. Emily smirks at the love-drunk, overwhelmed expression, but continues writing a prominent yet slow “ _ you’re _ ”, not waiting too long before craning her neck upwards and kissing Alison with a timid yet forceful feeling. The gesture catches the blonde off-guard and a tiny whimper falls from her lips, but the sensation is gone after seconds before it’s replaced with Emily’s thumb again.

The brunette makes sure to write big enough for the girl to have a chance at guessing what’s being written, but she does it with a light pressure that causes Alison’s breathing to speed up with each letter. Once she finishes tracing the word “ _ beautiful _ ” along Alison’s lips, Emily leans up and tugs the same area, pulling a quiet, breathy moan from the blonde whose eyes slam shut for the time being. When they open, she notices her lover’s interested yet hardly noticeable smile, afterwards licking her lips as she gets ready to answer. Instead of speaking, however, she leans down and kisses Emily again, allowing herself to revel in the feeling when it turns into a mini make out session with her left hand cupping the brunette's jaw.

She manages to pull herself away after minutes, brushing her nose against Emily’s while whispering, “Thank you, but I’m not the only beautiful one,” with a lovable smirk, ultimately earning a quiet laugh before the sound dies when their lips reconnect.

“Mm,” Alison hums into the next kiss, breaking it before it can really begin, “my turn.”

Her body shimmies downwards an inch or so, being watched by Emily who, within seconds, has to rest her head back against the pillow because her frustration is beginning to skyrocket, especially since the blonde’s body is resting between her legs and shifting every now and then. When Alison moves again, she hears the tail end of a grunt come from the brunette’s throat and smirks, intentionally doing the same, sliding motion as seconds prior and eliciting a mirrored sound. After hearing the noise for the second time, she debates on whether or not she wants to continue with this game or toy with Emily further, but settles on taking her turn because she already decided that she wants to savor the night.

She looks at Emily who stares at the ceiling as she waits. Alison smiles at the sight and moves her body upwards to straddle the brunette’s left thigh, needing a better angle when she decides on where she’s going to write next. When Alison is fully settled on top of the other girl, she uses her fingertips to gently lift Emily’s chin so her head tilts back into the pillow, exposing her throat as the blonde smiles devilishly because she can see her lover swallow hard when realization hits.

Within seconds, she begins to drag the pad of her pointer finger along Emily’s throat, hearing a strangled whimper escape the girl’s mouth while her bottom lip is tightly snagged between her teeth. Alison’s eyes are lustful while she watches Emily struggle with shaky, frustrated noises exiting her throat repeatedly, tracing the word “ _ stay _ ” across her tan skin. Before finishing the first part of her written phrase, she begins to lean down and, just as she stops moving her finger, her mouth presses against Emily’s throat, planting an elongated, open-mouthed kiss to the area as the girl’s mouth opens with a moan being heard.

Resuming her previous position, she glances at Emily whose expression looks blissful yet pained from the periodic contact, earning a smirk and knowing lip-bite. Nevertheless, Alison continues and traces her next word: “ _ with _ .” Emily’s breathing becomes deeper in the meantime, allowing another moan to leave her throat once Alison’s lips are back in the same area. 

This time, Alison lets her mouth work against the area heavily, simultaneously listening to Emily’s right hand grip at the comforter beside their bodies as her left scratches the blonde’s thigh, ultimately feeling a deep breath grace the skin of her throat. In response to the warmth against her neck, a muffled whine passes her lips and Alison finally backs up while breathing faster than before, determined to finish her phrase.

One more word is written along Emily’s throat, this one being drawn slower than the others. The brunette, through her struggling, can make out the word “ _ me _ ” before Alison’s mouth is against her skin again, open-mouthed kisses being strewn along her throat, below her chin, and up her jaw as her breathing speeds up with little moans coming out here and there. Alison lets out some of her own sounds, especially because Emily’s nails dig into her thigh more than previously and, in response, her hips shift back and forth, grinding down.

Alison’s lips manage to find Emily’s and they connect with a tinge of desperation, moans and whimpers floating between the two while trying to remain kissing as much as possible. When the brunette finds her voice, however, she manages to get out a muffled “I’m not going anywhere” right before Alison seals her lips again.

The kiss trails off once Emily mumbles, “My turn,” against her lover’s lips, but Alison tries to stop the game by deepening the kiss further, moving her tongue against the other girl’s while cupping her jaw with a firm grip, nails partially digging into her skin. Emily, in response, slips her left hand into the side of Alison’s panties as the blonde stops kissing her and exhales heavily while their noses rest against one another, enjoying the feeling of the brunette’s thumb dragging along her upper, inner thigh. The mounting sensation leaves soon, however, because Emily takes her hand away and, within seconds, uses both to grip Alison’s thighs. The blonde follows silent instruction and straddles Emily’s lower torso, eyes curious as she looks into a dark gaze that locks with hers.

Alison waits through deep breaths, her eyes focused on Emily’s features while watching the girl’s gaze float downwards in a lustful motion. As she observes the girl scoping out which area to attack next, two hands pull her forward slowly so they’re almost eye to eye, but the brunette begins to shimmy down against the mattress so Alison straddles her middle torso with a sharp breath at the sudden, pressured movement. Again, Emily pulls Alison’s body down so her chest is exposed completely, and her lips move along the blonde’s skin within seconds. A deep moan exits Alison’s throat as her right hand holds herself up, her left tangling in Emily’s hair while the girl’s mouth works against her sternum before it trails lower, eventually having to hold herself up with both arms. 

Emily’s left hand rests on Alison’s thigh as she uses her right pointer finger to begin tracing. The first word is short, being a simple “ _ I’m _ ” as the letters are written vertically between the blonde’s boobs. Alison doesn’t bother stopping the moan that passes her lips once Emily’s mouth presses open-mouthed kisses along the same area, moving both up and down, along her skin. Before getting too carried away, Emily backs up and writes an exaggerated “ _ s _ ”, followed by a dragged-out “ _ o _ ”, this time allowing her finger to drift a bit lower. She replaces her finger with her mouth, earning a choked-out “Fuck” from Alison who tries to control herself by biting her lip, but, when Emily senses the heavy frustration, her left arm wraps around her lover’s backside and pulls her forward, making the girl grind down and release a whimper through gritted teeth.

Again, Emily removes her mouth from Alison’s skin and begins to trace the next word. The blonde breathes heavily and her eyes want to remain closed, but she attempts to pay attention to what’s being written. She manages to make sense of the word “ _ in _ ” once the brunette wisps each line and arch of the two letters, afterwards waiting to feel Emily’s lips work against the space between her breasts. Her fingers tangle in the girl’s dark hair like previously, dragging her nails along Emily’s scalp while damp, forceful kisses make their way down her chest, abruptly feeling her lover’s tongue swirl around the same area as a moan erupts in her throat but isn’t strong enough to be heard when it dies within. Again, both of Alison’s hands hold herself up once Emily nips at her breast and extracts a sharp gasp, but the feeling leaves once the girl goes to trace the following word. 

This time, Alison swallows hard and exhales heavily as she pays attention. Her eyes shut while trying to imagine what Emily is writing, eventually understanding that the girl switched to cursive and, internally, she wants to laugh at the tactic but, when she feels the word “ _ love _ ” being sketched along her skin, the response fades ━ until it’s replaced with a frustrated whine when the tip of Emily’s tongue is dragged upwards against the center of her chest. More, wet kisses cover her skin, moving along the complete area of Alison’s chest, collarbones, and nearly below her breasts. The brunette listens to each and every sound that falls from Alison’s mouth, encouraging her to continue her ministrations until she decides that it’s time to write the two, final words of her phrase because, honestly, she just wants to give into the girl whose hips rock back and forth while louder moans fall forth.

Unlike before, Emily uses her thumb to write the next word, this time tracing faster while covering a larger area and Alison seals her lips shut in the meantime, still paying as much attention as possible even though it’s becoming excruciatingly hard. She barely catches the word, but it’s easier once she realizes that the first letter was a “ _ w _ ”, afterwards recalling the rest and pushing the strokes together until she figures out it’s “ _ with _ .” The “space” that follows is a gentle, barely noticeable peck to the damp area between her breasts, and it doesn’t take long before Emily writes “ _ you _ ” using two of her fingers.

Alison breathes out with a soft smile, but it’s replaced with a stunned, satisfied yet pained expression once two hands forcefully pull her forward as Emily’s tongue drags across her nipple. Her hips move more even though she tries to still her own motions, her nails digging into the pillow while attempting to hold herself up in the meantime. The brunette moves across the girl’s chest and swirls her tongue around the other nipple, being gifted a whine through clenched teeth. 

More kisses are placed along Alison’s skin moments later, but the girl is way too frustrated at this point so, randomly, she slides down Emily until she’s straddling the brunette’s right thigh. Emily’s lips part when they’re nose to nose, but her silent questions are answered when Alison connects their lips in an unapologetically harsh manner, hearing a subtle grunt before they both melt into the wet, heated kiss. Meanwhile, Alison takes the initiative to slide Emily’s underwear down her thighs, shifting her body so the garment can come off with ease. Right afterwards, she manages to remove her own with a bit of repositioning, immediately grinding down on the girl’s thigh and moaning into her mouth while breaking the kiss.

Emily feels more heat rushing to her core when she hears the reaction, gradually tilting her leg a bit so it creates a spike in pressure as Alison moves back and forth at a slow, determined rate. The blonde’s left elbow digs into the blanket below their bodies while she manages to hold herself up for the most part, paying attention to where she drags her right hand. Emily notices fingertips gliding along her skin as they move downward, soon brushing against her inner thigh as she breathes deeply at the sensation because she’s so damn frustrated and just wants to feel Alison in every way possible. When the blonde continues the same motion while somehow locking eyes with the girl who lies pressed against the mattress, a quiet yet noticeable moan passes Emily’s lips, followed by a whispered “Please touch me.”

Alison’s mouth opens at the instruction but she nods before kissing Emily hard, having her right hand drag higher until a finger dives into the brunette’s folds. Another whimper is swallowed by the blonde’s needy lips, followed by another and another while fingers slowly move against her damp, sensitive area. Alison pays attention to how she moves her hand, remembering what Emily loves and how to treat her in the meantime. She pushes a digit into her lover and a choked-up sound exits Emily’s throat with a following, satisfied “God, Ali,” causing Alison to feel a spike in warmth between her legs as she grinds down on the girl’s thigh, simultaneously pushing her fingers further. Emily’s left hand grabs at the sheets next to her body as she enjoys every fulfilling feeling between her thighs, allowing herself to give into the reactions that stir in her throat.

Emily bites onto Alison’s bottom lip within seconds, drawing a gasp from the blonde who tries to control herself because she’s beginning to grow distracted. It doesn’t help, especially, when the brunette’s right hand somehow manages to find its way between her legs, causing Alison’s mouth to hang open as she tries to formulate a plan to pay attention to how her fingers move against Emily’s slick heat while friction mounts within her own core.

The tanned girl angles her hand easily, managing to swipe her fingertips along Alison’s center while seemingly distracting the blonde who moans into her mouth again. She brushes against Alison’s clit repeatedly and earns a bigger reaction, mostly due to adding onto the pressure building while the blonde grinds down. Emily suddenly feels her lover’s fingertips moving faster, holding massive intent and focus, and her other hand grasps at the blanket even more because it’s becoming severely difficult to work her hand precisely. She manages, however, and shifts a bit until her fingers can press harder against the girl above her, hearing a raspy “Em” as nails dig into the pillow next to her head. 

In order to control herself for at least a minute longer, Alison kisses down Emily’s mouth, jaw, and throat before biting the side of her neck as much as possible without hurting the girl, evoking a string of noises from the twinge of pain while fingers work against her center at a rate that’s nearly sending her over the edge. Emily tries harder as teeth bite near her shoulder, pushing two fingers into Alison who breathes heavily against her tan skin. She does it again and extracts a whimper, afterwards pulling her fingers out and dragging them along the blonde’s heated center at a faster speed, ultimately feeling the same sensation between her own legs.

They both sense their own, impending climaxes and each other’s, working harder to keep them relatively the same level as Emily lifts her leg a bit more and Alison’s mouth falls open while leaning into the brunette’s neck. In response, Alison continues her movements and rubs Emily’s clit harder as she hears a strangled moan that only comes out toward the beginning, afterwards feeling her own legs beginning to shake when the girl below her uses the same motion.

Their orgasms crash into them at similar times, both riding the feeling out fully whilst making sure not to give up too soon so the other enjoys the climax equally as much. It takes another few seconds for their bodies to feel tingly and Emily removes her hand from between them while Alison does the same, afterwards crawling up a couple of inches and lifting her head so she can kiss her lover with a more-sensual nature now that they can think clearly. Their tongues brush against one another while leftover noises flow between their mouths, each being swallowed by the other while Alison cups Emily’s jaw as the brunette’s hands gingerly roam the girl’s bare skin.

Alison backs up soon after and nudges Emily’s nose with her own, smiling as much as she can through deep breaths.

“I love you too,” the blonde gets out before kissing the girl again. “So damn much,” the whisper is muffled by wanting lips, not breaking apart for an extended amount of time afterwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've finally exchanged some I love you's and some honesty ━ and we witnessed that "for real" proposal.
> 
> How's that for Emily's turn-around? She finally confessed that she knew she was still in love with Alison when she first saw her again in Vegas. She's made great strides in her own, personal character development, and even greater advances when it comes to her relationship with Alison. For example, Emily goes from dismissing the idea that Alison grew to be "different" throughout the years, to saying, "I love that different," as seen in this chapter.
> 
> Throughout the beginning chapters of this fic, we saw Emily fixating on the fact that she never got an apology from Alison, and that's why she believed she was so angry when she saw her for the first time in a while. That definitely wasn't the reason, though; Emily was more angry at herself for still loving Alison. After everything and the apology she actually received from Alison, Emily realized that she didn't want it, in the first place, but Alison began to believe that she should've apologized a long time ago. This brings me to my next point.
> 
> Alison, similarly, put her walls down in this chapter, no matter if she wanted to or not. During Emily's speech, Alison still seems a bit guarded, especially when she's trying to turn away from her but can't seem to stop listening. We saw her having this shitty idea of herself, almost thinking that keeping an old part of herself is the worst thing she could've done, but Emily assured her that altering her old self and becoming someone new with the same traits is such a good thing. So, in the end, Alison allowed Emily inside (both figuratively and regarding the cabin), and they're about to begin a healthy life together.
> 
> Clearly, Mrs. DiLaurentis' necklace is pretty important to Alison, in more ways than one; she doesn't want to somehow disrespect her mother by wearing it while making bad choices in life, so she doesn't wear it. That'll change, certainly, and it's a very big statement.
> 
> I'm sure you noticed that Emily did most of the talking during this chapter. Primarily, she opened her heart up to Alison because she knew that was the only way Alison would do the same with her. Though Alison was more of a listener than a talker (and she was definitely receptive) in this update, we still have one more chapter before the epilogue and that's where we'll see her honesty and a huge memory served on a silver platter. Additionally, next chapter, we'll be seeing their friends again (including Mike and Jason), and we'll tie up loose ends.
> 
> Next update: Sunday (the latest).
> 
> Have a fun, PLL-free week (or as fun as it can be, without PLL), and I'll see you for Ch 20 (*insert ugly-cry emoji*).


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TGIAPLLT ━ "Thank God It's Almost PLL Tuesday." Well... kinda.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who gave me their good luck/best wishes regardless of my choice to continue writing fic or pursuing other things. As I said before, I'll let you know what ends up happening.
> 
> I'm guessing everyone enjoyed Emily taking a pretty damn huge risk in Ch 19 ━ and it certainly (and thankfully) paid off. It's time to build off of that, and it's time for Alison to take her own risk and let herself open up fully ━ once and for all.
> 
> Now, how about we wrap this story up with some friends, a major flashback, and, like I just said, Alison's final, characterizing improvement?
> 
> Let's go.

“I mean, how  _ extra  _ do you have to be to fly all the way to North Carolina  _ just  _ to get away from me?” Emily teases as she looks at the road ahead, smiling while Alison shakes her head with a tiny laugh. 

She continues after side-eying the blonde, “That’s a new level of dramatic, even for you.”

The girl’s thigh is pinched a second later, Emily snickering at Alison who’s been getting teased for the past however-many minutes while driving through the streets of Baltimore.

Originally, when they had first landed back in Baltimore, the two felt a bit more calm once their “mini-vacation” high wore off, especially because they were pretty tired from the previous night’s events, having fallen asleep sometime around 3:30 A.M. In total, that only granted the girls five and a half hours of sleep since they woke up around nine in the morning to the sound of woodpeckers as harsh sunlight filtered through the bedroom window.

Emily stirred within the sheets first, being held tighter by Alison who felt her starting to wake up while snuggled together even though she, herself, wasn’t fully awake yet. On contact, the brunette smiled and let out a sleepy groan when she felt their skin gently sticking together, slowly bringing her body upwards until they were face to face. She kissed Alison’s nose a second after, followed by pressing her lips to the blonde’s mouth time and time again until blue eyes fluttered open ━ just to shut once more when the kiss deepened.

They didn’t get out any  _ good morning _ ’s before, much like the prior night, their bodies gave up on the fun, only lasting until the clock struck 9:50 A.M. and that’s when Emily mumbled a raspy  _ “Good morning, beautiful” _ to Alison whose eyes finally opened once her breathing slowed.

It took another ten minutes to get into the kitchen with Alison wearing nothing but a pair of underwear and Emily’s old sweatshirt zipped up only halfway, resting just below her breasts. They ate breakfast ━ well, more like cereal bars with two Gatorades that Emily had packed ━ and sat within the kitchen. The brunette, at the time, admired how the light shone through the windows within the cabin and illuminated most of the space, causing everything to seem a brownish-orange with the exception of a majority of the red decor. Alison studied Emily’s face as she repeatedly took everything in, feeling butterflies in her stomach because the girl seemed to be loving the place equally as much as she had when first visiting. Her thinking broke off, however, when she rubbed her lips together and a new idea occurred.

_ “I think I want to tell my brother,” Alison looks at Emily who stops sipping her Gatorade for a moment, forcefully swallowing so she can answer. _

_ “Okay,” she gets out, “right now?” _

_ “Mhm,” the blonde nods with a tight-lipped smile. _

_ “Okay…” Emily repeats, eyeing Alison’s outfit, “but you might want to change, first.” _

Alison rolled her eyes at the comment but complied, mostly because she didn’t feel like FaceTiming her brother while very obviously giving away what they’ve been up to for most of the previous night and morning. When she emerged from the bedroom once more, the two girls sat on the main space’s couch with Alison shimmying her way between Emily’s legs so they could both fit in the camera’s lens. The blonde hit the FaceTime button without hesitation, almost immediately watching Jason’s face come into view as the two smiled at him.

_ “I wanted to talk to you about something. Well, not so much talk… but I wanted to tell you something,” Alison exhales with a nervous smile, feeling Emily’s arms tighten a fraction as they hug her torso. _

_ “Mhm,” he edges her to continue. _

_ “Emily and I are married,” she says before laughing a bit. “It… um, took place a few weeks ago and, honestly, it’s a really strange story, but… I’ve never been happier.” _

_ Jason seems to look past Alison to glance at Emily who wears a small yet genuine smile while she has a silent conversation with the blonde’s older brother; once she and Alison had woken up, Emily snuck into the bathroom with her phone and texted Jason along with their other friends, notifying them of what happened before asking if they could meet up at the house once they landed in Baltimore. Basically, Emily wants Alison to have a small, “welcome home” party, primarily because it is, indeed, home, and she believes that the blonde deserves more than happiness with her, alone ━ not to mention the fact that it’ll be a quaint celebration, of sorts. _

_ “If you’re happy, I’m far beyond happy, Ali,” Jason finally speaks and Alison seems to breathe out. “You deserve nothing less and I’m glad you found this happiness with someone you’ve known for what seems like forever.” _

_ The blonde feels herself blushing at the statement, grinning while attempting to stop the expression from making her look like a smitten teenager. _

The rest of the call went smoothly. Once Jason noticed the wooden wall in the background, he narrowed his eyes with a knowing smile and Alison laughed while nodding. She slid off the couch moments later, showing him around the cabin as Emily watched with a tiny smile of her own, chuckling at Jason’s actual,  _ extreme  _ enthusiasm at the decor changes. After Alison finished the tour, however, Jason asked what time the two would be leaving the cabin ━ which, honestly, Emily was thankful for because she was hoping that Alison hadn’t changed her mind when it came to what time they’d be flying home ━ and the blonde’s response allowed her to breathe:  _ “Sometime around eleven because we have a one-twenty flight and I have no idea if we’ll get lost on the way to the airport. Em isn’t the best at navigating.” _

Thankfully, the couple made it to the airport with little to no trouble (after Emily nearly had to carry Alison away from the cabin), but almost missed their actual flight due to sitting in a mini cafe while discussing their impending house renovations even though Alison felt guilty for having Emily spend money on flying to North Carolina for one night.

_ “Alison, I had a great time there, okay? Even if I originally went to track you down, we worked everything out and made the most of our one-night stay,” she says in all seriousness even though the other girl breathes out a small laugh at the thought of them making “the most” of their time there. _

_ “But,” the brunette continues, “can you do me a favor?” _

_ “Anything.” _

_ “Next time you feel so lost, talk to me,” she pleads. “You know we’ll always find a way to work things out. Do you not remember how this entire marriage started? I think we’ve come a long way from how we used to deal with things together.” _

_ “I will, I promise,” Alison leans over the small table and kisses Emily on the lips. _

_ “Besides,” Emily backs up, “I have a lot saved up for these renovations and we also have your stash.” _

_ “Who says you’re getting your grubby hands on my stash?” _

_ “What’s yours is mine,” she beams and bounces her eyebrows, sipping her drink as Alison rolls her eyes with a subtle yet lovable grin. _

Nevertheless, the girls made it onto the plane before successfully enduring a short flight until they landed in Baltimore around 3:30 P.M., grabbed their bags, and hit the road so they could  _ finally  _ go home.

“Are you happy we’re home?” Alison breaks Emily out of her thoughts as they pull into the driveway, earning a big smile from the brunette who parks the car, turns off the ignition, unbuckles herself, and sits there while staring at the house in front of them.

“You know, I think I’m happier about the fact that you’re home  _ with  _ me. I don’t really care where we are. You have this weird ability to make most places feel like home,” Emily looks at the steering wheel as Alison undoes her seatbelt. “If that makes sense, I mean, because I━”

She’s cut off when Alison kisses her hard, feeling stunned by the sudden embrace but melting into it nonetheless while her cheeks are cupped by the blonde’s hands. The kiss trails off into tiny, barely noticeable pecks until Alison brushes her lips against Emily’s to create a tickling sensation between their mouths. They both wear tiny, shy smiles while their lidded eyes open as much as they can due to the proximity.

“I know the feeling,” Alison whispers before kissing her another time, afterwards backing up and opening the car door while Emily smiles and follows suit once she regains a firmer grasp on reality.

The brunette gets out of the car and stretches for an extended amount of time, meanwhile hearing the other girl snicker somewhere on the opposite side of the vehicle. She turns around to see Alison with her bottom lip snagged between her teeth when she’s faced with a playful glare, but the blonde begins to walk toward the house within moments and, suddenly, Emily is frowning while standing near the now-closed car door.

“Aren’t you going to help unpack the car?”

“No, I figured I’d let you do it,” Alison turns back with raised eyebrows. “I didn’t want to get in your way,” she ends with a growing smirk.

“Ha,  _ funny _ . Come help,” Emily pulls their bags from the trunk of the car, placing them onto the ground with a grunt as Alison approaches with a chuckle.

The blonde stares at the girl who narrows her eyes when she realizes that she’s being studied, but her impending questions are answered when Alison leans in and swiftly pecks her on the cheek. The sensation is gone as fast as it came, earning a laugh and head shake from Emily who grabs her bag and follows Alison toward the house. Once the blonde stops at the door, she turns to Emily who mutters a quiet “I’m coming, jeez” when she sees the impatient, flat expression. 

The key is slid into the doorknob a second later, unlocking the door as Emily pushes it open with her foot to see no one in the house. At first, she narrows her eyes at the lack of guests within the living room (from what she can see), but hears a noise come from within the kitchen and shakes her head with an underlying laugh that Alison doesn’t catch because she’s too busy fighting with her suitcase once it falls over for the third time. 

What Alison does hear, however, is the sound of a huge scuff and a curt “Damn it” come from the kitchen, causing both her and Emily to walk into the room to see Mona, Spencer, Aria, CeCe, Toby, Mike, and Jason all staring at Hanna who wears a guilty, childlike smile and wide eyes. 

“Surprise?” Hanna looks at Emily who rolls her eyes and Alison who smiles at everyone being in the kitchen ━ albeit she’s confused as all hell.

“Leave it to  _ you  _ to trip over a damn chair while trying to be sneaky,” Mona rubs her head and Mike laughs from where he stands behind her. “It’s literally been years and I’ve clearly taught you nothing.”

“Whaaat’s going on here?” now, Alison judges everyone individually, being given a round of happy faces as Aria and Spencer approach to hug the blonde with two, whispered “Congratulations” before going to Emily and hugging her with death grips.

“Wait, how’d you guys even know about…?” the same blonde’s eyes narrow as CeCe hugs her next with a comical “Thanks for finally tying Emily down.”

“Who do you think helped pick out the ring?” Mona challenges while hugging Alison, followed by Hanna who all but launches herself at the girl.

Hanna backs up once she’s finished, hands firmly grasped on Alison’s shoulders, “And you better freakin’ like it because a good chunk of that ring was paid for by us.”

The statement is finished with a fierce glare sent in Emily’s direction while Toby, Mike, and Jason snicker from nearby. 

“Way to have tact, Han,” Aria mutters. “What if we weren’t supposed to say anything?”

“No, it’s fine. Now she gets to remember what  _ great  _ friends you are,” Emily flashes them a conniving yet content smile, being turned to by Alison who arches an eyebrow. 

“I told them that, since they made bets on our marriage, we get the winnings,” the same brunette explains and the gamblers all look in different directions with a variety of expressions.

At first, Alison smiles, but then she tilts her head to the side and teases, “And you wasted it on a ring?”

Emily makes a mocking face in response.

“I’m just kidding. You know how much I admire poetic irony,” Alison backtracks with a reappearing, beaming smile before turning to Hanna, “and I love it. It’s absolutely perfect.”

“Good,” she nods. “I picked it out all by myself.”

“Excuse you?” Emily narrows her eyes. “From what I can remember, you paced throughout the store while looking at everything  _ but  _ rings.”

“That’s what you get for taking me to a jewelry store,” Hanna shrugs and Mona rolls her eyes.

Jason approaches Alison who hugs him automatically since she hasn’t physically met up with him in quite some time. The embrace lasts a while, ending with Alison pulling back and saying, “Wait… you knew before I called you?”

“Not for long, but yeah,” he nods, eyes quickly darting to Emily who seals her lips with a grin.

Alison turns to the same brunette, eyebrows raised in a scolding yet entertained manner, “And you still let me mildly panic before the call?”

“Hey, I've been doing all the panicking for days now. I think I deserve to pass some onto you, every once in a while,” Emily mirrors the attitude but tilts her head in what appears to be a silent reminder, ending with Alison giving her a more-playful grin before turning around to face Jason again.

“I’m proud of you, Ali,” comes his next statement.

The blonde silently questions him, which is when he expands on the comment.

“You know our family isn’t known for being open or good with coping, but I’m glad you’ve defied that idea and branched out with someone who I personally trust,” Jason looks at Emily for a brief moment, earning a smile. “I’m really proud of you. You’ve come a long way from being a typical DiLaurentis,” he jokes.

“That’s because she’s not a DiLaurentis anymore,” Toby interrupts from where he stands, smirking. “Or so I assume…” he mumbles when Emily looks at him.

“Well,” Jason laughs and stares at Alison, “I’m sure you always liked the sound of ‘Alison Fields,’ anyway.”

“Would you shut up?” the girl’s eyes widen and she whisper-hisses, punching him in the arm as he laughs harder than before while Hanna makes a snorting noise nearby.

“Hey,” Alison finally stops and shakes her head, turning to the group as Emily goes to stand near her, “how’d you guys pull off having literally  _ no  _ cars in the driveway?”

“I drove Hanna and Mona here,” Mike explains while nodding, arms crossed as he leans against the countertop. “My car’s parked in Toby’s driveway.”

“Yeah, and I honestly have  _ no  _ idea how you didn’t notice it,” Mona explains with wide eyes and an animated tone.

“My car is at Aria’s,” Jason explains and Alison arches an eyebrow but doesn’t question it, knowing about the two’s short history.

“So is mine,” Spencer adds. “Toby picked us up a few hours ago.”

“And  _ my  _ car is parked in an alleyway down the street but I should  _ probably  _ move it before I get fined,” CeCe slightly rambles with a tight-lipped, realizing smile, afterwards breathing out and adding a blunt “Nevermind. I don’t care enough to walk there right now.”

Emily chuckles at the statement, looking at Alison who smiles before turning to the others as they get lost in side conversations. She breaks them up, however, when she leans against the counter and glances at everyone with curious eyes.

“So, is this like… a party, or are you leaving soon?” Alison wonders but, once she realizes that it sounds somewhat straight-forward, she goes to backtrack, though she’s completely run-over by Hanna who smirks heavily.

“Why? You two want to━”

“Are you kidding? They’ve probably been at it since last night,” Mona waves her hand and cuts off Hanna’s question, wide eyes being given by both Emily and Alison.

“Oh, no doubt,” CeCe comments.

“I’m sure Jason would  _ love  _ to hear about this,” Spencer snorts while crossing her arms, standing next to Toby and Mike.

Aria puts her hand on Jason’s arm and smiles when he clears his throat at the topic. Alison, seeing the gesture, arches an eyebrow at Aria who looks guilty but, when the blonde offers a knowing grin, the girl matches the expression with a more-nervous nature.

“No, but seriously,” Alison looks at them again, “because I’m starving and Emily needs to know how much food to order.”

The brunette glares at the girl with a creased forehead, being flashed a conniving smile by Alison who, afterwards, hugs her as they stand.

“Well, if that’s an invite…” CeCe walks over to the partially hidden alcohol cabinet and pulls out a small assortment of bottles.

“Seriously?” Aria deadpans. “It’s Sunday evening.”

“It’s a special occasion,” the same blonde’s tone is pointed with an incredulous attitude. “Anyone want something? I’ll make whatever once I find the goddamn━”

“Left,” Emily rolls her eyes and instructs when she sees the girl feeling around the deep cabinet for the alcohol shaker, getting an “Ooh! Thanks” in return.

Meanwhile, Mona leans toward Mike and whispers something in his ear with a smirk that Alison can see, narrowing her eyes when he squints in confusion before laughing as she leans back in to say something more.

“Hey, how’d you two get together?” Mike questions aloud after another few seconds, a giggle coming from Hanna and curious eyes being given by Jason even though he’s pretty sure it’s a complicated story judging by the way Alison glares at Mona with a clenched jaw.

Emily’s mouth opens when she doesn’t know what to say, looking at Alison who briefly glances in her direction, getting a bigger laugh from Toby who waits to hear the story again because it never gets old. Spencer and Aria, on the other hand, wear smirks when they see how disgruntled the married couple looks, all ignored by CeCe who hums to herself while making a drink.

“Mona,” Alison warns, watching the girl gain an innocent grin.

“Yes, my love?”

The blonde rolls her eyes, afterwards throwing her a pointed look.

“I just…” Mona sighs before making a very obvious, overly emotional face, “the story of you two getting together makes me so happy because it’s  _ so  _ beautiful and I always knew you’d find true love━”

“Oh, brother,” Spencer comments, a glare from Mona being shot her way while Aria chuckles.

“I’m pretty curious, myself,” Jason leans against the sliding doors to the backyard, an amused smile and raised eyebrows on his face while Alison looks at him with irritated, “don’t encourage her” features.

“If you  _ must  _ know,” Alison starts and Emily pays attention, curious about what she’s going to say, “it was Vegas.”

“Vegas?” Jason’s amused smile grows.

“Yes,” she nods. “Vegas… helped us get together.”

“ _ Helped _ ,” Spencer air quotes and Toby laughs at Emily who grunts.

“It’s not an accurate word,” Toby throws at his neighbor.

“You need a new catchphrase,” she gives him a bitter, tight-lipped smile.

“So,  _ so  _ petty,” he repeats his words from weeks ago and an incredulous laugh falls from Emily’s lips.

“Didn’t something  _ big  _ happen? Between you two. In Vegas, I mean,” Mike begins again with expectant eyes, an underlying grin on his face.

“You don’t  _ need  _ to be Mona’s little messenger, you know,” Alison taunts and Mona looks taken aback.

“He’s  _ not _ . He simply knows where his loyalties lie,” she leans on his shoulder and he tilts his head to rest it against hers, earning an eye-roll from Alison.

“You guys make me sick,” CeCe intervenes without turning to the others, still measuring parts of the drink she’s making, running back and forth between the fridge and the area where the mixer rests.

“Ditto,” Hanna adds while scrolling through her phone.

“Oh, hush, Hanna,” Mona raises an eyebrow. “I’d rather fall for someone than fall because I tripped over a damn kitchen chair.”

The blonde’s eyebrows furrow and she doesn’t offer a rebuttal while Spencer and Aria try to stifle their laughter but fail miserably, the taller brunette feeling an elbow nail her in the side.

“I still didn’t get an answer,” Mike shrugs, knowing how to push Alison's buttons since he's been hanging out with their group of three ━ and sometimes four when Aria shows ━ for years now. 

“Me neither,” Jason waits to hear about what happened. “What was this ‘big’ thing?”

“Want me to tell the story?” Toby directs the question at Emily and Alison.

“Um,  _ no _ ,” Emily’s words are blunt. “Hasn’t Spencer trained you to mind your own business, by now?”

Her look is smug when she throws the mocking question back and Toby nods with an accepting smile, initially not giving her a response as the brunette’s victorious grin intensifies. Soon, however, he clears his throat and approaches the kitchen’s center island as Emily stands on the opposite side.

“Hey, I’m just wondering,” he purses his lips and looks around, not bothering to keep his voice down once he speaks again, “is there any reason as to why I found a pair of underwear lodged in my pool’s filter?”

CeCe inhales whatever she was tasting and coughs hard, afterwards getting out a choked-up “I’m alright” as wide, entertained eyes from the others stare at Emily who glares at him with an embarrassed yet “what the fuck” expression while Alison seals her lips in fear that she’ll chuckle at the brunette’s reaction.

“It wasn’t my idea,” she mutters with wide, evading eyes and Toby snickers at her choice of defense.

“That’s not what I asked, Emily,” he backs up like previously, crossing his arms. “I asked if there’s a reason.”

“Emily Fields,” Hanna smiles hard, “I cannot believe what I’m hearing.”

“It was  _ not  _ my idea.”

“No, you only agreed to it,” Alison teases, parted lips appearing on Emily’s face as she looks back at the blonde, being shown a smirk.

“I should’ve known you’re still getting into trouble,” Jason playfully shakes his head.

“Always,” Mona answers for Alison.

“So, this big thing that happened━” Mike tries, only to get cut off by Alison.

“Oh my God,” she groans. “We got drunk-married in Vegas, okay?”

Both Mike and Jason laugh hard, an extreme eye-roll coming from Alison while Emily chuckles, getting a swat to the back of her head.

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Jason’s comment comes out dull, catching a glare from Alison that silently tells him to shut up.

“What do you mean?” Emily notices the thin tension between Jason and Alison, an interested smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

“Nothing,” Alison speaks for her brother who opens his mouth to say something.

“She…” he side-eyes Alison who gives him a death glare with a shifted jaw, ultimately causing him to start a new sentence. “I’m not so surprised about it because she’s always made sudden decisions after drinking.”

The blonde purses her lips before Jason continues, “This one just so happened to be a positive, drunken decision with a beautiful outcome.”

Alison smiles even though Emily looks between the two skeptically, soon losing her squinted eyes when the other girl walks over and presses a kiss to her lips. She decides to ignore it (and maybe ask Alison later), meanwhile wrapping her arms around the blonde who stands in front of her while the others talk about whatever. Alison, on the other hand, gets lost in thought, especially when she glances at Jason again and sees a knowing but “I won’t tell, don’t worry” type of comforting smile.

_ “Ali?” Jason softly knocks on his sister’s door, having been hearing distraught groans and pages ripping for fifteen minutes now ━ not to mention the obvious, harsh sniffling. _

_ “Leave,” she gets out before he can even enter but, not so surprisingly, he doesn’t listen and closes the door once he’s inside her room. “Did you not understand what I just said?” _

_ “I’m worried about you, Alison,” he frowns. _

_ “No, you’re not,” the blonde shakes her head and throws the remaining pieces of her journal at the wall, afterwards rubbing her eyes while she sits on her bed, tears staining her cheeks as the room partly spins. _

_ “You’ve been out of it for days now. Of course I’m worried.” _

_ His eyes scan the room before landing on three, different bottles: two types of tequila and a large, glass container of vodka. His frown intensifies and she pays no attention to him, constantly rubbing her eyes once they begin to burn further. _

_ “Ali, I know what it’s like to be addicted to something━” _

_ “What?” Alison breathes out and looks at him, afterwards following his line of sight until she sees the bottles, licks her lips, and shakes her head with a grimace. “No, that’s not… no.” _

_ “Then why are they in here?” he leans back against her door. _

_ “I don’t know.” _

_ “You’re going to have to give me more than that,” Jason studies her body language, noting the obvious guilt and regret. _

_ “I don’t… want to think… anymore,” her voice repeatedly pauses, not exactly wanting to open up but knowing he’ll tell their parents if she doesn’t because, honestly, she knows he’s genuinely worried even though it’s easier to call him out on being anything other than a protective brother. _

_ “For starters, about what?” _

_ Alison doesn’t look at him; she shifts her jaw while staring at her bed’s comforter, more tears falling. _

_ “Okay, then. Tell me why you don’t want to think anymore,” he tries again. _

_ “Because it’s not helping a damn thing. It never does.” _

_ Jason stays silent, mostly because he can see that Alison wants to say more which, after a silent minute, she does. _

_ “It fucking hurts,” she cries. “Every day, I sit here and I write, and I vent, and I try to fucking breathe but I can’t fucking do anything anymore because she’s in my head all the damn time.” _

_ He nods in realization, lips parted a fraction. _

_ “She’s always there,” Alison grits her teeth, more so at herself, “and I know it but I hate that I know it.” _

_ “You need to calm down and breathe a little,” Jason tries, only to see the girl shake her head furiously. _

_ “No, no,” she takes a deep breath. “I need to call her.” _

_ “No,” he walks over and snatches her phone off the bedside table, staring into a pair of livid eyes. _

_ “Give me my phone.” _

_ “You’ll thank me in the morning,” Jason takes a step back when Alison approaches. _

_ “No, I sure as hell won’t. Give me my phone. I need to talk to someone.” _

_ “You do not need to call Emily,” he says her name with force and, suddenly, the blonde girl takes a step back as her lip quivers hard. “Not right now,” his voice is softer than before. _

_ “But she needs to know.” _

_ “Know what?”  _

_ “That I love her,” more tears stream down her cheeks and the phone shakes in Jason’s hand because he really wants to give it back to Alison but he knows that it’ll hurt everyone, in the long run. _

_ “Alison,” he speaks cautiously, “can I give you some advice?”  _

_ She looks at him with an unreadable expression. _

_ “If you’re not able to admit it when you’re sober, then don’t do it when you’re drunk. If you haven’t told her by now, it’s because you’re not ready to or maybe you just don’t want to.” _

_ “I can’t keep everything bottled up,” her voice breaks when she whispers and he looks at her with sympathy. _

_ “I didn’t say that,” Jason frowns. “You have to learn how to deal with your feelings before anything. You owe it to yourself and, honestly, I think you owe it to Emily, just as much.” _

_ “You don’t think I love her?” _

_ “I didn't say that, either. Whatever you feel, you feel,” he smiles sadly. “But you have to let yourself feel it at every second of the day. Not only when you’ve been drinking.” _

At the time, Alison wondered when he became so wise, mostly because they rarely had conversations before that night. It was nearing senior year when that conversation happened, ultimately resulting from Alison catching Emily kissing some girl at a summer party. They hadn’t been talking since their most recent, drunken kiss that happened months upon months prior, but it stung the blonde deep enough to make her leave the party early as Hanna and Mona watched with severe frowns. Once she walked through her house’s front door, she grabbed a bottle of alcohol and brought it up to her room, mainly because the two others were nearing their ends. As time progressed, she grew pissed off and tore pages from her journal, each one talking about Emily and her dreaded feelings.

Obviously, she never took Jason’s advice ━ or maybe she did, in a way; sure, she never allowed herself to evolve and  _ feel  _ immediately after that, but some part of her must’ve understood his words because she never gave Emily another sense of false hope.

“Hey,” the brunette whispers in her ear and Alison snaps back into reality, noticing that everyone aside from CeCe, at one point, went into the backyard to start a fire.

Alison turns to Emily and tilts her head to the side, eyes flickering between the girl’s focus and lips.

“You okay?” Emily wonders aloud, noting the girl’s quiet demeanor.

“Yeah, I am,” a genuinely content smile appears.

“Good,” they kiss briefly, the embrace being cut short when Alison backs up to mumble “I love you” against the girl’s mouth.

“I love you too.”

“I love you three,” CeCe adds with a smirk, having been forgotten for a few moments.

Alison watches the other blonde place a makeshift Cosmo onto the counter before CeCe bounces her eyebrows and walks through the sliding doors to join the rest of the group while sipping her own drink. Alison turns to Emily who wears a smile, laughing and shaking her head.

“Every time,” Alison nods, more so to herself, “and I’m not even wearing that dress.”

The brunette bites the tip of her tongue at the remark, shaking her head with an amused grin. She watches Alison taste the drink, humming in content with an impressed “Not bad.”

Emily chuckles at the response.

“But we  _ seriously  _ have all the ingredients to make a Cosmo?” she arches an eyebrow at the brunette who offers a sheepish eye-roll. “Obsessed much?” her voice is teasing.

“Okay, now  _ that’s  _ just a coincidence, I swear,” Emily walks over to the door and opens it for Alison who hums in a non-believing tone, passing through before the other girl follows to join the rest of the group outside. 

 

X X X

 

“I missed our bed,” Alison exhales deeply as she flops backwards onto the mattress, hearing a chuckle and a teasing “You were gone for  _ literally  _ a day” come from Emily who, afterwards, grunts once she forcefully lugs their bags into the room, not getting any help from the other girl.

“That’s a day too long,” the blonde digs her elbows into the bed and props up her torso to look at Emily who approaches until she’s standing at Alison’s knees.

“Well,” the brunette leans over the girl, “maybe you shouldn’t leave, then.”

She almost kisses Alison before the final word leaves her mouth, instantly deepening the embrace once their lips meet even though the blonde manages to get out a muffled “Never” as she attempts to pull Emily on top of her but fails when the girl stands up straight, making a thinking face while Alison sits up completely. Blue eyes watch the brunette who lingers nearby, simply studying her thoughtful features until she stares into a brown focus that, now, looks back at her.

“So, I was thinking,” Emily cautiously sits on the mattress next to Alison, watching the blonde turn her body so they’re entirely face to face, “how about… we go fill out some paperwork this week? We have to get some forms to change your I.D. and social security, then insurance…” her voice trails off, sounding convincing and hopeful. “Since you want my last name, that is,” she smiles hard, bowing her head partly as Alison matches the expression. 

Emily continues with a new, dopey grin, “Then we can buy some paint…”

“I’d love that. All of it,” Alison whispers before pecking her on the lips, lingering two inches away afterwards. “Do you know where we have to go to get things… official?”

Alison’s heart flutters at the thought of both of them being equally as eager to get her last name changed. Though they’re already, legally married (and now the blonde has a ring to show for it), all they want to do is seal the deal with a legitimate “Fields” following the blonde’s first name. Maybe it’s silly to others, they think, but what’s the point of being married if you don’t feel like you’re two halves to a whole? 

Emily laughs as her eyes flicker back to Alison’s lips, “No, but I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”

“Yeah, we will,” the blonde kisses her again. “We always do,” she repeats a form of the words Emily said earlier in the day, drawing out a lovable smile.

“Mhm,” another, gentle kiss is shared before Emily backs up fully, sliding off the bed as Alison watches with curious eyes.

“Are you going to get ready for bed?” the brunette throws over her shoulder with a smug grin, hearing a soft laugh come from Alison who hums.

“I’m too exhausted to change,” she half-heartedly whines, getting a playful eye-roll from Emily while she has her back facing the girl.

“Didn’t get enough sleep last night?” Emily teases, afterwards sealing her lips with a tight smile because she can imagine the face that Alison is making behind her back.

She never gets an answer. Instead, Alison manages to get off the bed and walks over to where Emily stands, carefully picking up the tiny, folded note from the prior morning and holding it tightly in her palm. Brown eyes stare at her while wearing an unreadable expression, and a regretful, blue gaze glances back with a timid nature. Before Alison can begin to question anything, Emily turns her body so they’re face to face, gingerly pressing a kiss to the blonde’s forehead and watching a smile take the place of her former frown. 

Alison, feeling the underlying warmth of the gesture, smiles further before pecking Emily on the lips, looking at the note in her hand, and walking out of the bedroom while the brunette’s forehead creases in confusion. She doesn’t have time to ask what Alison is doing, however her silent questions are answered when she hears the toilet flush and, at the sound, she chuckles while shaking her head. 

When Alison walks back into the room with a newfound, genuine grin, she shuffles in front of Emily who remains standing nearly pressed against the face of her dresser. Without a word, Alison casually opens the brunette’s drawers and earns the same, creased forehead in response as Emily watches the girl go through her t-shirts while humming softly.

“May I help you?” Emily gets out through a breathy laugh.

“No, I got it,” Alison picks a shirt out and gives her a cheesy, childish smile, being admired by Emily as she walks away.

Emily studies the girl as her old top is tossed a few feet away, afterwards being replaced by the brunette’s t-shirt as it’s tugged over her head. While fixing her hair, Alison turns around to see Emily watching her, automatically narrowing her eyes.

“What?” she questions, a tiny smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

“Nothing,” Emily shrugs. “Just admiring the view.”

Alison shakes her head and laughs, pulling her jeans off once Emily turns around to finish getting ready for bed. The blonde internally debates for a few seconds on whether or not she wants to wear any bottoms to bed, ultimately deciding against the idea. Instead, she sits on the bed near their pillows while staring at the brunette who pulls a t-shirt and a pair of soft shorts onto her body. Alison absentmindedly smiles before looking down at her hands and sighing.

For hours, all throughout their time with friends and family, her memory with Jason has been floating around in her mind. In all honesty, she hasn’t thought about that particular instance for years, only remembering similar situations here and there but nothing ever  _ that  _ strong. In simple terms, that one night haunts her, even if it’s not necessarily a horrible memory. For the most part, it bothers her that she hasn’t told Emily about it and, instead, told everyone that she always figured her feelings were simple, “I enjoyed the attention she gave me” sensations, but that’s not completely true. Yes, Alison admitted to Emily that she liked her back, but she never confessed that it was so much more, simply because she never thought about that memory and, if she had, Jason was right:  _ “If you haven’t told her by now, it’s because you’re not ready to or maybe you just don’t want to.” _

Alison’s thoughts are disrupted by Emily turning the light off, illuminating the room with moonlight and nothing else. She can see the outline of the brunette who slowly advances in the direction of her side of the bed, soon sitting down and fixing her pillow.

“Can you… sit with me… for a little?” the blonde feels nervous to ask and the other girl can hear it since her voice drifts off a couple times, but she whispers a quiet “Of course” and slides across the comforter so she’s situated in front of Alison, knees brushing against one another as they sit cross-legged.

Emily can see Alison’s timid eyes in the prominent brightness of the moonlight, holding strong eye contact for the most part while rubbing her lips together in thought. The brunette, likewise, stares back at the girl in front of her, but she breaks the silent conversation to reach for Alison’s hand so she can play with her fingers.

“I remembered something today,” Alison whispers after two minutes of silence, feeling her fingers being played with by soft hands that handle her carefully. “Something… I didn’t necessarily let myself remember for years.”

The other girl pays attention, listening attentively while tilting her head to the side.

She continues, “In the kitchen when everyone was here, Jason said something. Well… he was  _ going  _ to say something, but I think he realized that I didn’t want him to…” her words trail off as she looks down at their hands.

“I noticed,” Emily notes with a whisper. “I wasn’t going to push it, though.”

“Thank you for that,” a nervous laugh passes Alison’s lips and Emily somewhat mirrors it.

The blonde’s small chuckle fades out and she bites her lower lip, watching Emily stroke her palm and trace the lines on her hand with a tickling sensation driving up her wrist. She takes a deep breath, psyching herself up for confronting something that’s been biting at her all night, not even being watched by the other girl since she’s too busy distracting herself from the tension. Realistically, however, Emily is trying to give Alison room to gather up some courage, knowing that staring at her won’t do any good.

“Sometime before senior year, we went to a party,” Alison begins with a quiet voice. “Not together since we hadn’t been speaking, but you were there, and I… I watched you. A lot, actually,” she chews her bottom lip, “even when I didn’t want to.”

Emily glances upwards, still comforting her wife with small gestures.

“You were with someone,” the blonde visibly swallows hard, getting choked up. “ _ Really _ with someone. Openly. I didn’t know who she was, or…” she takes a deep breath. “I didn’t know if it was serious, but you two were kissing, and I…”

Again, the words struggle to come out and Emily sees a tear land on the girl’s wrist. Automatically, she reaches out and wipes Alison’s cheeks, hearing a laugh and a barely audible “Thanks” in return.

“I had to leave the party early,” she confesses suddenly, sniffling hard and forcing an even voice. “I remember going home without telling anyone, passing through the front door, and stealing some of my mom’s tequila in hopes that I’d just  _ forget _ . I wanted to forget you and her, and I wanted to forget  _ everything _ .”

Emily looks at her with sympathetic eyes, not wanting to break the girl’s memories with verbal comfort so, in the end, she brings Alison’s hands to her lips and gently kisses her knuckles, afterwards resuming her tactic with tracing the blonde’s skin.

“I drank and cried hard while tearing pages out of my journal. All pages about you and  _ us _ ,” for the first time in minutes, Alison locks eyes with Emily. “I felt like my feelings for you were killing me, and, yeah, I told you that recently but, God… I didn’t tell you how much they were killing me and  _ why _ .”

Brown eyes look away when Emily hears the hurt in her lover’s voice, hating the sound but listening, nonetheless.

Alison continues, “I almost called you that night to tell you why they were killing me, but Jason wouldn’t let me and, now, I’m glad he didn’t. Instead, he gave me some advice.”

Emily’s hands come to a standstill as she pays attention, but she feels Alison intertwine their fingers while resting their clasped hands between them. The brunette briefly looks down but, immediately, locks eyes with blue again in hopes that she doesn’t miss a single trace of the memory.

“He told me that, if I hadn’t told you what I felt by then, it was because I wasn’t ready or because I didn’t want to,” Alison recalls. “Then he said that I had to learn to deal with my feelings, before anything… and that I owed it to both of us. You and me.”

The brunette’s face is unreadable as she listens, eyebrows only slightly furrowed as her eyes stay on Alison’s.

The blonde breathes out, “And he was right. I never let myself fully feel, but you and I both know that. I just…” the words die in her throat.

Alison licks her lips in thought, glancing down at their hands and holding Emily’s tighter before looking back up with unshed tears.

“You deserved more than me and what I was giving you. You always did,” Alison confesses with a whisper before swallowing hard, taking a deep breath, and continuing, “but I need you to know, even though I always told people that I only liked the attention you gave me back then… it's not true.”

Emily shifts a little, staring at Alison even more with a now-creased forehead and interested features.

A sad smile graces Alison’s face when she starts again, “I  _ always  _ knew I loved you, but I always tried to forget. And maybe a part of me  _ did  _ forget until I actually looked at you in Vegas.”

The brunette feels her own tears forming and has to look away, afterwards timidly glancing in Alison’s direction when her hands are unclasped, only to see the girl wiping her eyes with the back of her wrist. Emily takes Alison’s hands once she’s finished, smiling comfortingly as the blonde whispers again.

“Until today, I forced myself to lock that memory in the back of my mind, mostly because it was almost a turning point in how I felt back then, but now I understand that I must’ve, in a way, taken Jason’s advice,” she bites her lower lip for a split second. “I never confronted you and, before the other day, I couldn’t tell you that I love you, but it wasn’t because I didn’t  _ want  _ to and it wasn’t because I wasn’t ready. It was because I didn’t think I deserve more than what I’ve gotten in the past.”

Emily sees another tear trickle down Alison’s cheek and she wipes it away with a smile, earning one from the blonde ━ albeit it’s nervous and even  _ looks  _ choked up.

“But now I can say it and I don’t feel anything less than an overwhelming, warm  _ emotion _ in my chest every time I get those words out. I love you,” Alison smiles bigger. “I love you so,  _ so  _ much, and now I know that I  _ do  _ deserve more.”

The brunette waits a few moments, simply staring at the other girl with a soft, lovable smile and shimmering eyes, but she can’t take the tension any longer and cups Alison’s jaw as she leans forward, kissing her with a timidity that feels new but so familiar, thoroughly loving the girl she’s come to know so much more than she used to.

Alison melts into the kiss, feeling the same sensation in her chest as her hands grip at Emily’s thighs so she doesn’t fall forward. She forces the deep embrace to trail off into small, gentle pecks, afterwards offering one, final kiss to the brunette’s nose before lingering a few inches away, just enough for them to have lidded eyes while attempting to look at one another through the close proximity.

“You’re my more,” Alison whispers through a tiny grin, getting a head nod without hesitation and another kiss in response.

Emily smiles into the elongated kiss at first, feeling her wife making a mirrored expression against her lips, until a subtle realization hits and she leans backward with narrowed, accusing eyes and a partly opened, stunned mouth.

Alison, in response to her reaction to the words, feels a bigger smile grow on her face as a shaky laugh eventually falls from her mouth, gently nodding with an admitting “I guess I do remember a little more from that night” and earning a similar, amused sound from Emily who can’t exactly formulate any words following the confession. After five more seconds, however, the brunette tilts her head, finally being able to solidly look into her lover’s blue eyes as she searches for something to say.

“You bet on me,” her voice barely comes out, seeming more like she’s mouthing the words but Alison is able to understand clearly.

She licks her lips in thought, whispering, “Always,” right as she slowly leans forward to kiss Emily again.

“I love you,” the brunette is able to confess once they break apart another time, leaving an inch of space between their mouths while struggling eyes make silent conversation.

“I love you too.”

Their eyes remain locked, not wanting to break the mounting tension because it’s comforting, in a way, to feel so connected, but the distance gets the best of the girls after an additional minute; the blonde leans forward and connects their lips using a gentle nature, soon smiling against her lover’s mouth while mumbling, “I told you that you're stuck with me,” as she now remembers the morning after their marriage was confirmed, drawing out a mirrored grin from the brunette who has to back up for a second to laugh and shake her head when she recalls the same words, ultimately having her lips sealed again, and again, and  _ again _ . 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How's that for a confession? From "Please be my more" to "You're my more." Looks like these two will get to remember/cherish how they got together, after all. Alison, you sneaky little shit… knowing all along━
> 
> Before we get into the bigger, recap parts, let's talk about how we wrapped up the main part of this story (the epilogue being a small time-jump away): These two pulling into the driveway and Alison not helping with their bags (a classic), Tobily (that's still their bro-ship name, right?), skinny-dipping memories (clearly that tree didn't want to keep Emily's underwear), the initial, bet reference (oh, those meddling kids), another Cosmo (with that dress mention), and, last but not least, skin tracing (and Emily actually initiates it, this time).
> 
> Now, the bigger, recap parts: Jason's line, "…she's always made sudden decisions after drinking," is what we've been looking for; this is the reason (or the biggest one) as to why Alison doesn't drink much, stemming from what happened in her flashback years upon years ago. Some people don't believe in the whole, "Drunk words are sober thoughts" concept (and that's totally up to you, obviously), but this idea holds true to Alison; often, when she allowed herself to drink, her mind "cleared up" (so to speak) and she suddenly knew what she wanted, but could never admit it when she's sober. I like to think Jason's advice in Alison's flashback was/is very solid, primarily because it gave Alison something to think about ━ and, like she said, maybe she did or didn't follow his advice, but now she realizes why she couldn't speak through her sober heart until more recently.
> 
> Adding onto that, Alison's honesty in this chapter probably completes the story ━ but that's not to say the epilogue won't nudge their characterization a bit further. In Ch 19, we saw Emily's raw emotions being put out on a silver platter in hopes that Alison would take a chance on her. Now, in this chapter, we saw Alison doing the same for Emily because she realizes that they both deserve each other's honesty and full embodiment of love. Although Alison still has some ways to go when it comes to improving against her self-loathing tendencies, this chapter marks a huge step because, at the end of her memory/confession (and the end of this update), she admits that she knows she deserves happiness and I think that's great, especially because Alison was the one who broke both herself and Emily when she didn't allow herself to feel when they were younger. ━ Side note: Like Emily, Alison's old feelings also slammed into her when they locked eyes in Vegas; "…Emily begins to sit down in the middle of Spencer and Aria, straight across from Alison who, for the first time since she arrived, makes eye contact with the brunette. Emily smiles as much as she can, she really does, but it's shaky and she swallows hard before looking away." ━ Ch 1; where the "storm" ultimately began.
> 
> I hope the ending of this chapter lived up to your expectations. Right now, we're holding the red ribbon to tie up this story, but we'll put a nice, big bow on it once the epilogue's been posted ━ which I can't believe has come so soon. I'll save the rest of my sappiness for the epilogue's bottom author's note (so prepare for it).
> 
> Final update: Friday (the latest).
> 
> For now, enjoy PLL on Tuesday, and I'll be working on more drabbles (go to "capn-charlie" on Tumblr to see them). Once again, thanks for joining me and I love you all.


	21. EPILOGUE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wellp, we’ve made it to the end (I say/type through a severe frown).
> 
> Quoting my friend when “January of 2011” was ending: “All good things must come to an end.” Though I still have a difficult time believing it, the sentiment is always appreciated.
> 
> Before we get into the final update of this story, I want to send my love to those affected by the horrible events that took place earlier this week (and any other week, for that matter), even if it’s simply by watching the news. I know the world can be a horrible place, but it can be much warmer when you remember you’re not alone. If you’re thinking you don’t have anyone, I can assure you that you have me. Always.
> 
> To bring us back to a happy note: How about that most-recent PLL episode? I love me some good, emotional Emison.
> 
> It’s time to tie up loose ends and put a pretty bow on this story before diving into a super-fucking-long author’s note.
> 
> Enjoy it.

━  ONE YEAR LATER  ━

 

Emily drops a few ice cubes into her glass while standing in the kitchen, somewhat peering through the sliding back doors so her eyes land upon her group of friends surrounding a crackling bonfire. The sky is an indigo color, being a little bit after sunset while the back-porch’s light only causes a small disturbance in the dark air, otherwise being overpowered by the large fire.

She smiles at the sight of everyone getting along, noting Mona sitting on Mike’s lap while playing with the semi-new ring on her finger since she was proposed to months ago ━ A.K.A. Mike’s reason for missing CeCe’s benefit a year prior, being the night he went to pick something out. While those two make eyes at one another, CeCe and Hanna both give the couple disgusted faces whenever a kiss is shared, in addition to Spencer, Aria, and Toby situated on the other side of the fire while laughing at the entire thing. Alison, however, is nowhere in sight, and Emily frowns for a moment until the blonde in question appears in front of the sliding doors, partially making the tanned girl jump before shaking her head with a soft laugh.

“Did I scare you?” Alison grins with a knowing tone, leaning on the counter next to the girl who continues to prepare another drink.

“You _always_ scare me,” she teases while paying attention to what she’s doing.

“Oh, really?” the blonde plays along.

“Mhm,” Emily pours the next part of her drink, eyeing the contents and explaining, “for example… those nights when you decide to use that _really_ gross, face-mask stuff━”

Alison jabs at her side repeatedly, laughing hard while Emily attempts to get back to finishing her small creation even though she fails time and time again as she continues, “It’s absolutely terrifying. Sometimes I even feel like calling my mom━”

“You’re such an ass,” the blonde shakes her head while laughing, afterwards letting go of her determination to harshly poke Emily and, instead, hugging her body.

The brunette doesn’t return the sentiment, however, and struggles to get out of the embrace while pouring the last part.

“Do you mind? I’m trying to make something, you know,” Emily says even though she’s smiling, soon watching Alison shimmy into the space between her and the counter.

“And _I’m_ trying to distract you,” she somewhat leans up and kisses her lover, pulling her by a fistful of shirt.

Emily, on contact, lets go of the glass behind Alison and allows herself to enjoy the embrace, kissing her hard because they haven’t had any alone time all day. In fact, it’s been at least ten hours since they were last alone ━ not that she’s been counting ━ aside from the brief times they met in the kitchen like the current situation.

Most of the day has been taken up by preparation for their late “wedding reception” ━ or family BBQ, as Emily and Alison agreed on ━ whereas the rest of the time was spent on actually _enjoying_ their get-together with friends and family, leading up to the bonfire that takes place outside right now. Even for days prior, the two had been busy with further preparation and shopping, getting little to no time together and, whenever they were able to fully relax, their bodies slumped on the couch or bed as they slept.

They’re not complaining about the day’s event, however; the get-together was perfect, they acknowledge, primarily because Emily’s parents (obviously) showed up, Jason came (additionally since he’s now dating Aria), their friends helped organize and prepare everything, and Melissa even brought Lucy for a few hours ━ as per the couple’s request.

_“I thought you two already got married,” Lucy tilts her head emphatically, hearing the words “wedding reception” uttered repeatedly throughout her time in the backyard._

_“We did,” Emily smiles and sits down in the grass with the younger girl, “but Ali felt pretty bad that you didn’t get to see us on our wedding night, so she decided to throw a little party so we could invite you.”_

_“I like her,” the little girl beams at the information, looking at Emily until Alison appears behind the brunette with her own smile._

_“Yeah,” Emily turns and glances up at the blonde who now smirks, “I do too.”_

At the time, Melissa walked over to the small group and played with Lucy’s hair before looking at Emily and Alison while offering a sincere _“Congratulations.”_ The blonde smiled at the sentiment, more so because Melissa locked eyes with her, specifically, while allowing a silent, “we’re both better people now” type of conversation to flow between them. After that, they made small talk once Spencer and Toby came over to join the growing huddle, soon losing Lucy who ran off to grab a cupcake with Aria and Jason.

_“Jeez, great job,” Melissa looks at Spencer’s engagement ring with impressed features, afterwards glancing at a sheepish yet proud Toby while wearing a grin._

_“Isn’t it beautiful?” the younger Hastings sounds just as proud of the choice._

_“Who knew Toby had such good taste in jewelry,” Emily stands up and teases with a smug look, getting a sharp elbow in the side from Alison who gives her scolding, raised eyebrows._

_Emily continues, “You know, I think he was ten times worse than I was while picking out a ring. He paced for five minutes outside of the store, then held his hand over his face for forty more while staring at that ring.”_

_“You were definitely not much better,” Hanna approaches with daring, narrowed eyes._

_“Do not,” Emily offers a bitter smile and a point of her finger. “I hadn’t been with Alison for years before buying a ring. I didn’t know if she’d accept.”_

_“Clearly you don’t know how indecisive the Hastings family can be,” Mona joins with Mike’s hand in hers. “After all these years…”_

_“Hey, I resent that,” Spencer’s forehead creases._

_“No, she’s right,” Melissa agrees with the dark-haired girl who gives Spencer a big, conniving smile._

Emily’s parents also enjoyed the party thoroughly, spending a bunch of time with the younger couple as they occasionally gave them their blessing. Alison smiled the whole time, mostly because it feels nice to now have parental figures in her life. During one of their conversations, Emily even glanced in Alison’s direction to see the blonde playing with her mother’s necklace as it rested around her neck, smiling at the deeper meaning before zoning back in on the topic at-hand.

The brunette currently smiles against her lover’s mouth, just thinking about the day as a whole while backing up for a split second. Alison doesn’t let her go far, however, and pulls her even closer with hands gripping at her shirt as if they’ve forgotten the world around them ━ until the back door slides open to reveal Hanna and Mona who break up the entire make out session with one “Ew” and another “Couldn’t you have at least _hidden_ somewhere?”

Emily not-so-subtly wipes her mouth as Hanna snorts at the panicked face, the same blonde’s eyes afterwards darting to Alison who seals her lips while looking guilty as sin. The couple stands there while Mona walks over to the freezer, leaving Hanna to linger next to the counter nearby.

“God,” Hanna breathes out while looking at the two, disheveled girls, eyes going wide, “you two are _so_ fifty shades of sexually frustrated that even _I_ need a cold shower.”

Before either Alison or Emily can open their mouth, Mona drops an ice cube down Hanna’s back and elicits a giant squeak followed by a hiss, causing the two others to try to stifle their laughter even though they fail.

“What… the… _hell_?” Hanna turns to Mona, hands balled into fists with the same, wide eyes and parted lips.

“Oh,” Mona looks down at the cup in her hand, frowning a bit, “sorry, I must’ve missed my glass.”

Emily tries to muffle another laugh but can’t, ultimately giggling hard until a glare is sent her way by Hanna who manages to reach behind her back so she can air out her shirt. Alison, meanwhile, walks over to Emily’s pre-made drink and takes it, flashing the brunette a smile and a cheeky “Thanks, baby” before walking through the back doors as the girl frowns heavily.

Hanna eventually follows Alison, leaving Emily in the kitchen so she can make a new drink. She grabs the different ingredients again and begins to toy around with the parts, getting into the habit (and actual skill) of making her own concoctions. While she absentmindedly bites her lower lip and watches the different liquids drip into the previously frosted glass, her mind wanders off and a tiny smile tugs at her lips, sighing at every, _perfect_ thought.

She remembers when Alison’s last name was finally changed on _everything_ and how they both smiled heavily at the idea of officially being together. Although they had been legally married for a bit before that, the thought of Alison using “Fields” as her last name made Emily’s heart flutter, and, from the blonde’s perspective, it did the same; Alison revels in the name that’s strewn across letters that come to the house from Jason, like when he took Aria on a vacation to Montana and sent a postcard, and Christmas cards that held their last name as the only, addressed recipient. It feels good to have something shared, they both think, and it’s a small realization that makes them smile every day.

Moreover, the two shared some makeshift “vows” one night, having dared each other to compile a concise list of things they wish for their marriage and what they intend on doing throughout their relationship. It was special, more specifically, because they sat on the back deck with drinks by their side, each tilting their body away from the other so they couldn’t peek at what’s written on the small notes.

_“I, Emily, take you, Alison, to be my beloved and super-mischievous wife who always gets me into situations from which I, somehow, can never escape,” the brunette starts but has to pause to catch her breath, hearing a constant laugh come from the girl sitting beside her. “I promise to deal with your obnoxious tendencies because I know that, deep down, you’re actually really soft and kinda all talk…” she gets punched in the leg a few times, swatting Alison’s hands repeatedly._

_Emily clears her throat, “Um…”_

_“Um? There is no ‘um’ in wedding vows, Em,” Alison deadpans but ends up giggling._

_“Apparently I wrote that I’ll pay attention to everything you say, but I don’t remember writing that,” she squints at the note and the blonde snatches it out of her hand with continuous laughter, pushing Emily away whenever she tries to grab the paper back._

Eventually, Alison pushed the written note down a crack in the deck and Emily groaned at the loss of paper, not even bothering to figure out how to get it back because she hasn’t been under the platform since she bought the house. She glared at Alison for an extended period of time, ultimately waiting for whatever the blonde was about to throw at her and, obviously, was teased repeatedly within the girl’s vows, but, in the end, they became very cheesy and Emily smiled. Afterwards, she took a deep breath and decided to recite a few more lines, that time from her heart, and Alison smiled at every word until the girl was finished, granting the brunette multiple kisses that turned into much more.

Emily smiles at the memory again, not stopping how her teeth show through the grin even though no one else is around. She finally finishes preparing her drink in the meantime, soon turning around to look into the living room which was recently renovated, painted the color “Rubber Ducky” (which Alison is _insanely_ proud of), walls afterwards covered in scattered pictures of their group, family photos, and a few of the two of them alone ━ actual, professionally done photos by Aria who pleaded with the girls to allow her to take some. Overall, during the day, the room looks thirty times more vibrant and lived-in, opposing how it used to appear with its bland color and little to no personalization.

Upstairs, they repainted the bedroom and switched around some of the decor, ending up with one of the grey-ish blue colors they had picked out at Home Depot. It looks beautiful, Emily constantly muses, because they also decided on a gorgeous, black and white, patterned bedspread that appears far more prominent when the moonlight cascades upon it. The small bench tucked against the window got a small makeover as well, the seat cushion being exchanged for something that matches the rest of the room. Additionally, upon the nightstand, the plastic, red box sits in its designated place, holding Alison’s old, Vegas ring since they agreed that it was too important to stow away somewhere. In the end, when it comes to the overall room, they didn’t change much, but it _definitely_ makes a difference and Emily couldn’t be happier with the end product ━ similar to Alison who primarily did most of the decorating.

The brunette looks in the direction of the study, grinning at the thought of the colorful━

“Are you coming outside, or do you plan on standing there for the entire night?” Alison pokes her head through the sliding doors, eyebrows raised.

“Are they not entertaining enough?” Emily throws back, though it sounds far more seductive than she was planning as her voice lowers a level.

Her lips part at her own tone but, to cover up her lustful reaction, she grabs her drink, takes a sip, and walks over to where Alison blocks the door, still standing outside while her shoulders and everything above lingers between the glass pane and the wall.

“Now that you mention it…” the blonde’s eyes drift downward and she deliberately licks her lips, “they’re not.”

Emily doesn’t know what to say. She doesn’t even attempt to speak, in reality, and merely takes another step forward in hopes that Alison will back up but, when she doesn’t, the brunette allows her eyes to dance between the blonde’s distracted focus and mouth.

“You know I find you far more entertaining,” Alison whispers while straightening her back more, still not leaving the doorway, “ _and_ satisfying.”

The other girl feels her throat tighten up and has to look away, being flashed a smirk by Alison who backs up and walks away from the door, trotting down the pair of steps until she’s with the others around the fire. Emily takes a deep breath and passes through the doorway, sliding the glass pane shut behind her with a slow force because, honestly, the blonde has been attempting to kill her all day with sultry lines matched with seductive tones and she can’t take it anymore; actually, she’s been doing that for weeks now ━ not to say Emily hasn’t been fighting back with her own, convincing tactics.

She looks around the yard while approaching the others, including Alison who still wears a faded smirk that Emily can see _very_ clearly, sitting in the brunette’s former chair to cause a lack of seating. Alison gets up when she sees Emily’s narrowed eyes, emphatically gesturing to the chair and giving her a good look-over again, earning an even-more timid nature from the tanned girl who cautiously sits, immediately being sat on by the blonde who hums happily.

The others are holding their own conversations for the time being, not paying any attention to the two girls that look at one another with tension flowing heavily. Alison’s right arm wraps behind Emily’s neck as she sits across the girl’s legs, left pointer finger coming up and booping the brunette on the nose, getting a playful eye-roll in return.

“Ali,” Aria calls from the other side of the fire, being granted an attentive hum, “your brother told me to tell you that he’s safely back in Rosewood.”

“Thank you,” Alison chimes in a cute way, a laugh coming from Emily who gets faced with a frown at the sound.

The same blonde turns to Aria after another second, “Do you think he’ll take a while to pack up the rest of the house? When we went, it was still a mess.”

Emily remembers walking into the DiLaurentis’ house for the first time in years, being hit with a wave of memories as Alison’s hand squeezed hers tighter at the time, simply wandering through the rooms and looking at everything. The blonde snatched a few things from her old room, including a piece of wallpaper as she smiled and reminisced. Emily watched her the whole time, making sure her wife didn’t need a large amount of support because, for days prior, she had no idea how the girl was going to stomach the trip ━ especially since, a couple of weeks before, they learned Jason was selling the property ━ but, overall, Alison held up fine and stood at the foot of the driveway, giving the house one, final goodbye.

After that, the couple drove to Rosewood’s cemetery to visit Mrs. DiLaurentis’ grave. Emily paid her respects in silence, feeling Alison lean her head against her shoulder as they stood with clasped hands. At the silence, the brunette felt tears well up in her eyes, more so because she remembered multiple occasions when she had gone over the DiLaurentis’ house as a teenager, just to be greeted at the door by Jessica who was never anything less than welcoming. Alison, once she sensed Emily’s regretful body language, leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek, afterwards whispering a comforting _“Come on, let’s go home”_ and pulling her back to the car so they could drive back to Baltimore.

“Probably not. He said he’s pretty much done,” Aria makes a face and breaks Emily out of her thoughts, answering Alison. “Plus, most of his stuff is already at my place, so…”

Alison smiles at the thought of her brother finding happiness with someone she trusts. At first, the idea made her raise an eyebrow because, well, it was a foreign concept and not exactly thought-of beforehand (aside from the multiple glances and subtle touching), but she grew to enjoy them together because, this way, she sees more of her brother while Emily sees more of Aria when they hang out.

“God,” Hanna interrupts with a breathed-out voice, “I _really_ need to find a boyfriend.”

“Why not a girlfriend?” Alison throws back with raised eyebrows and a taunting smirk.

“Been there, tried━” the blonde is faced with a stern glare, earning a snicker from Mona who gets out a quick “Hanna, _Hanna_ … I’d prefer to _not_ bury a body tonight, thanks.”

Emily’s arms hold Alison tighter, pulling her closer as the blonde in her lap locks their eyes with a dark gaze that makes the tanned girl purse her lips when she can’t react in any other way. The building tension and specific, heavy eye contact causes her to remember another time within the last year when the group traveled to Rosewood in order to support Mrs. Hastings at some, political dinner and speech.

It was a formal occasion, of course, and the couple had been in some sort of “I bet I can make you crumble faster” battle for weeks prior (one which they’re currently _still_ in), resulting in a very interesting time ━ not to mention _tortuous_.

_Emily looks around the dining hall as she sits at a medium-sized, round table, simultaneously being watched by a pair of blue eyes surrounded by smoky makeup that, before they left the hotel, almost made the brunette not want to leave for this banquet at all. Alison, at the time, knew the girl was feeling weak by the way she couldn’t answer a simple question, so she did her best to turn small gestures into things that could distract Emily further, including bending over to fix her heels, slowly putting on lipstick in the mirror, and overall approaching very closely._

_For most of the time tonight, Emily has avoided looking in Alison’s direction in fear that she’ll melt, primarily because this is an important event for the Hastings family and she’s trying to keep her hands to herself ━ at least until they get back to the damn hotel room. The girl’s outfit doesn’t help, either; Alison wears a classy, fitting dress that shows off her curves through simple, black fabric, complimented by her mother’s necklace, stunning makeup, and perfectly done hair._

_Emily clears her throat at the thought, taking a sip of her water as Aria looks at her with a tiny frown._

_“Are you getting sick?” she studies the taller girl’s features, feeling bad._

_“Huh?” Emily squints. “Oh, no. Just… nothing.”_

_For the first time in a while, she looks at Alison only to see the blonde staring back at her, devious smirk growing when the brunette has to avert her eyes immediately because the girl’s cunning expression, alone, is too much._

_Emily looks at the empty plate in front of her, having finished her food an hour ago along with everyone else who holds their own, side conversations around the table. Aria now talks to Hanna, Spencer, and Mona while no one pays attention to the other two, clearly sensing some sort of tension between them since Hanna had not-so-subtly commented on it hours prior ━ as always._

_Alison stares at her lap with the same, up-to-no-good expression, afterwards moving her hand while Emily watches out of the corner of her eye ━ until her purse vibrates in her lap as her eyes narrow in confusion since most of her friends are here._

_She unzips the small bag and finds her phone immediately, lips parting once she sees Alison’s name on her screen. Emily debates on opening it, mostly because she’s not prepared to read some, seductive message that’ll destroy her peaceful thoughts further. She does open it, however, and ends up wishing that it was a simple message because her eyes now widen when they land upon a picture of the blonde posing in a deep-red, lingerie set, bottomed by the teasing caption, “Just in case you wanted to know what I’m wearing under this dress,” and a kiss-mark emoji._

_Her hands frantically leave the conversation in hopes that no one was able to see, feeling highly paranoid as her eyes stay widened at the picture. Alison watches from across the table with a smirk that’s intensified, eyes boring into Emily’s bowed head._

_Suddenly, the brunette glances upwards and presses her tongue to her inner cheek, making abrupt eye contact with her wife. Emily pushes her chair out at the same time, walking toward the wing designated for coat closets and a smaller bathroom. Alison, of course, follows as her heels take her across the room, attempting to catch up to the brunette. She wanders into the hall where Emily disappeared, not finding the girl anywhere as every door is closed._

_Once she goes to turn around, she’s pulled into an empty, dimmed, red-wallpapered closet as she’s faced with a frustrated brunette whose eyes can’t focus worth a damn. Alison offers a gentler smirk but doesn’t make any moves, simply bowing her head a fraction but looking at Emily through her eyelashes in a faux-innocent manner._

_“That wasn’t fair,” Emily’s voice is shaky but forceful, coming out like a soft hiss._

_Alison laughs, followed by her tilting her head to the side, licking her lips, and whispering, “All’s fair in love, war, and sexting.”_

_The brunette’s mouth opens and, suddenly, she can’t get any more words out, especially when Alison leans in and presses a barely noticeable kiss to the corner of her mouth, lingering an inch away afterwards while muttering, “I’ll be waiting for a response to that text,” before opening the door and walking out, never breaking eye contact with Emily who slams her eyes shut once she’s gone._

Blue eyes stare into a dark shade of brown before Emily blinks and takes a deep breath, getting a smile and subtle laugh from Alison who tilts her head in wonder. The blonde’s nails drag across the back of her lover’s neck, ultimately not helping anything ━ which she’s all too aware of. Currently, they both just want some alone time, and they fear that it’s getting pretty obvious ━ especially judging by the way Hanna glances at the two but keeps her comments to herself with a tiny grin.

“Actually, I’m seeing someone,” Emily and Alison hear CeCe say in a coy tone, heads whipping toward the girl who’s been talking to an invasive Spencer and stunned Aria.

“What?” the couple choke out the word at the same time, afterwards doing the same when they each ask “Who?” and roll their eyes at the in-sync attitude.

“Wow, you’ve _really_ got that down pat,” Mike snickers and Mona raises her eyebrows in agreement.

“His name is John━” the tall blonde starts again, only to be cut off by Aria.

“As in… Jonathan?”

“ _The_ Jonathan?” Hanna’s eyes widen. “I heard _that_ story,” she giggles at the thought.

“Ew, I know what you’re thinking and the answer is no, it’s not the same dude,” she explains with a grimace.

Alison’s eyes widen in a “thank fuck” manner, soon waiting for a further description.

“Toby’s friend John,” CeCe explains with a wave of her hand. “He’s pretty sweet.”

“Yeah, Em,” Toby tosses over the fire. “You know John. He’s the one who hooked you up with the drive-in-theater date.”

The blonde almost chokes on her own inhale but manages to keep a straight face, only raising an eyebrow at Emily once she turns her head. The brunette, given the information, offers Toby a curt yet realizing “Mhm,” internally smacking herself in the face because she _so_ didn’t need that memory at the moment, particularly since Alison’s nails now purposely dig into the skin on the back of her neck as she, somehow, manages to keep up a steady facade.

_“Let’s get in the backseat,” Alison tries with a convincing, needy whisper, being only forty-five minutes into the movie after making out for the past ten._

_Emily leans back in, atop the center console, kissing Alison hard because they’re alone at the drive-in, having asked Toby if he knew of any places like this and surprisingly getting word that he has a good friend whose parents own the nearest, secluded drive-in theater. Of course, Toby had helped John with building a deck two summers ago, so the man owed him one and, in the end, this became the desired favor ━ since Emily recently went with Toby to pick out Spencer’s engagement ring. At first, Emily was nervous about the whole thing, mostly because she didn’t know the area and/or anything about the place, but Toby not-so-subtly mentioned, “There are no cameras, by the way. Just in case you wanna… you know… illegally drink… or something,” before bouncing his eyebrows while sipping on a beer. Emily rolled her eyes at his lack of tact and laughed hard at the time, but internally sighed at the overall concept, though she still felt put-off by it because she decided to make the small trip a surprise._

_When they pulled up, Alison’s eyes narrowed as she studied the lot, turning to Emily with a smirk because the screen was already rolling through a set of pre-movie commercials, hearing the answer, “He asked what time we’d be pulling up.” Actually, the brunette wasn’t even sure which movie would be playing since the lot only acquired one film per two weeks, but she was sure it wouldn’t matter ━ which, clearly, she was correct about._

_The blonde smiled at the idea, but that expression soon faded when she shoved her nerves down and leaned over the center console to kiss the girl who reveled in the feeling, also sensing some nerves taking over her stomach._

_“Please,” Alison breaks the kiss again, eyes lidded while nudging her nose against Emily’s._

_“Mm, no,” the brunette pecks her on the lips, smirking heavily with the whisper, “you said you want to see who can keep a straight face for longer,” she reminds, still feeling the effects of Alison’s constant teasing, primarily at that banquet weeks ago._

_The other girl never gets out an answer. Realistically, a shaky breath passes her lips and Emily’s cunning expression falls, being replaced with something kinder yet more determined._

_“I don’t think you’re going to last long,” Emily mumbles against her lover’s mouth._

_The flustered girl tries to respond but can’t, ultimately taking in a sharp inhale when a hand lands on her upper, inner thigh, backing up an inch to see Emily biting her lower lip._

The shaky gaze caused Emily to resume her former position behind the wheel with her right hand in Alison’s underwear, staring ahead at the screen while she toyed with the girl in the passenger’s seat as a tiny smirk tugged at the corner of her lips whenever she saw Alison tilt her head back out of the corner of her eye. The blonde tried to focus on the movie constantly, forcefully sealing her lips shut as foggy eyes watched the picture in front of the car with breathy sounds escaping her throat, but, when she wanted to feel more and didn’t care about winning her own challenge, she shimmied her body down the seat a bit and gripped the brunette’s wrist. Emily got the hint once she felt the sharp grasp, resulting in Alison giving up on keeping a straight face.

“You’re not being subtle,” Alison suddenly whispers, snapping Emily out of her thoughts to see that their mouths are only inches away.

The others remain holding their own, side conversations when Emily looks beyond the blonde to see if they’re paying attention. When she realizes that they haven’t been for a while now and the night is still pretty damn lively, she bites her inner cheek in debate, eyes flickering between Alison and the fire as the blonde squints with a knowing expression covering her mouth. She looks at Emily who, finally, locks eyes with blue, feeling like she’s being read and, really, she is. Alison, understanding the internal struggle and mounting frustration, slides off Emily’s lap and walks up the deck stairs without giving any explanation.

The brunette sits there on her own, still not being noticed by the others aside from Hanna who narrows her eyes with a playful yet encouraging, “aren’t you going to follow her?” type of grin, being shown a conflicted lip-bite that basically confirms the idea of doing just that. Hanna looks away within the following second and that’s when Emily gets up, leaving to follow Alison while watching the blonde enter the bathroom before she’s fully inside.

Emily squints one eye but makes a face, deciding to wait for the girl in secret as she walks through the kitchen, down the side hallway, and slides into the redone study ━ now known as the comic room. In the daytime, light shines upon the red and yellow walls, mostly decorated with “comic-looking” textures and patterns ━ thanks to a creative Aria. One wall is lined with shelves adorned with containers that hold Alison’s comic books, something that made the blonde beam when they were first installed. The furthest, right corner of the small room houses a standing lamp to match the “theme,” holding a colorful vibe, somewhat sitting between two, comfy armchairs, both being deep red in color that manages to match perfectly with the walls.

As the girl hides, she leaves the door open a crack so she can see into the dimly lit hallway as the kitchen light seeps into the area toward the front door, simply waiting for Alison who emerges from the bathroom minutes later.

At first, Alison looks outside but doesn’t find Emily, so she tilts her head with a cute grin before peeking further into the kitchen, followed by walking down the hallway until she’s pulled into the dark room by Emily who manages to lock the door afterwards, pressing the blonde against it.

“You found me,” Emily whispers against Alison’s lips, hearing a barely audible, weary “I did” come from Alison.

“Good,” she kisses her once, hardly using any pressure before backing up again.

“Why?” Alison tries to play along, feeling like there’s a brick in her throat while doing so because her lover’s hands pin her to the door while holding onto her sides.

The blonde’s palms are pressed flat against the door behind her, not trusting herself to put them on the other girl right now because she’s been trying to keep herself under control tonight but clearly that’s not working out well.

“Because I wanted some alone time,” comes the answer after another moment.

“To do what?” Alison brushes her nose against Emily’s, smirking when she can faintly see the brunette’s eyes flicker shut. “We can’t stay in here for too long,” her voice is teasing but lovable, wishing they actually _could_. “They’ll wonder where we went.”

Instead of answering, Emily kisses her hard, eliciting a tiny whimper from Alison’s throat while the blonde’s hands finally wander up her torso until nails dig into the back of her neck. The sound makes Emily feel touchier, so she allows her hands to roam Alison’s body until they end up partly under her tank top, simply dragging along her lower back. She draws out another, breathy reaction, more so into her mouth, and offers a long peck to Alison’s lips before backing up to look into her eyes, smiling as the blonde’s thumb comes up and drags along her lower lip. Her breathing evens out in the meantime, just holding eye contact with the girl who’s pressed against the door, both smiling at the situation because it’s too typical. Alison, however, decides to break the silence, speaking in a quiet yet somewhat-hopeful tone.

“So, I was thinking about our honeymoon location,” Alison confesses with a sly lip-bite, a tiny laugh coming from the girl in front of her.

She watches brown eyes narrow after a silent second, a growing smile covering her mouth.

“We’re actually going on a honeymoon?” Emily half-heartedly teases, disregarding the fact that they’ve talked about it a time or two prior.

“Um, yes,” the blonde’s eyes widen as she looks around the darkness of the room. “Just because we didn’t have a traditional wedding, it doesn’t mean we’re not giving ourselves the same, royal treatment that other newlyweds do.”

The brunette chuckles at the statement but nods in response, staring into her wife’s eyes as much as the darkness allows. Alison leans forward a moment later, however, getting closer and closer until they’re nearly kissing but not quite. The brunette’s eyes flutter closed at the tickling sensation against her mouth, waiting for something to happen as the tension almost strangles her, but she hears the other girl’s voice instead, and her eyes slowly open.

“How about Vegas?” Alison moves her lips against Emily’s, earning a breathy, distracted laugh when the proximity clouds her thoughts.

She manages to find her voice, somehow, and whispers, “You read my mind,” before leaning in and kissing Alison’s mouth as she feels nails scratching at the back of her neck to pull her closer.

“I always do,” Alison mumbles against Emily’s lips, afterwards getting lost the kiss fully and not interrupting it any time after because, in the end, she’s too damn happy with the way life is going right now and she’s ready to completely give into whatever it brings ━ including another trip to Vegas with her wife by her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How full-circle-ish of you two ━ hopefully nothing ridiculous happens this time.
> 
> So many, little things strewn throughout the chapter: You didn’t really think I’d close the story without bringing Lucy back, did you? And Melissa, of course. Then, we discovered Mike/Mona got engaged, as well as Toby/Spencer. Hanna is still single, nearly being killed by Alison whenever she mentions the Hannily one-night stand. Jason is leaving the old, DiLaurentis house to live with Aria, causing Emily and Alison to visit Mrs. DiLaurentis’ grave with sad smiles. All so-very fulfilling. 
> 
> Relating to Emison: Alison’s finally wearing her mother’s necklace (and what volumes that speaks). The two exchanged makeshift wedding vows (one of my favorite parts). They made it to the drive-in (who says fantasies can’t come true?). Evidently, they successfully worked on their house, and they agreed on keeping Alison’s original, Vegas ring (a good choice). Finally, they decided on their honeymoon location (as previously mentioned) which, yes, will be Vegas. Interesting location for “romance” or not, Vegas means a ton to these two and them going back to the same place where their marriage began is pretty cute, don’t ya think? How’s that for a story-closer?
> 
> If you read this fic without watching "What Happens in Vegas" beforehand, I encourage you to watch it in the future ━ even if you’re not a romantic-comedy type of person (because, admittedly, I hate comedy movies but this is one of my all-time favs). It’s not exactly the same, obviously, but you’ll be able to pick up on similarities. If you don’t want to, fine, but you’re missin’ out.
> 
> Before I go, I definitely want to thank everyone for reading. It’s not every day you find people who are willing to encourage you repeatedly, make suggestions, and engage with what you present, so I consider myself lucky to have had this experience through this story, Jan2011, and TM&HS, in addition to “A Rosewood Blizzard” and “What If (This Happened)?” This story, itself, didn’t take long to form because I had an overall idea of it months before I began writing ━ in fact, it was only supposed to be ~8 chapters ━ but I like to believe it’ll be something for Emison fans to read whenever they want to see our two favs in a sticky yet entertaining situation, only to admit their love for one another. I cannot express how happy I’ve been while receiving messages on both here and Tumblr about who relates more to Emily/Alison, and what piece of dialogue really hit them. I live to make people feel emotions after I, myself, had been numb for so long, years ago, so, to hear that I had an impact is beyond words. 
> 
> Whether or not you enjoyed the story through and through, thank you so much for taking a chance on this story and betting on me. If you need me, I’ll be on Tumblr (“capn-charlie”) while deciding what my next move is gonna be.
> 
> P.S. Enjoy the rest of PLL. Cherish these last, however-many episodes. I know that’s what I’ll be doing.
> 
> *Insert fancy signature here*


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